Wounded
by Toujours.EL
Summary: When Draco finally realized he had to run from the only life he had ever known, he had no idea he would end up on the run with Hermione Granger. Now separated from her friends, Hermione will have to rely on the last person she'd ever expect. Once enemies, they'll now have to depend on each other to survive the war and face their greatest obstacles yet. (PostHBP)
1. Chapter 1: Traitor

**Wounded**

Note: Alright everyone, this is my very first FanFic writing! I'm nervous, but really excited. This will definitely be a longer story. I am all about the development of the story/plots and the relationship between Hermione and Draco (Dramione all the way!)

This starts pretty much at the end of HBP. I want to say this now, I do not own any of these characters or anything that has to do with the wonderful world of Harry Potter. I am just a huge fan and I love being in this world, I hate when I have to leave it.

Hope everyone enjoys it! Read and review please :)

* * *

Chapter One: Traitor

How much time had passed, he had no idea... he didn't honestly care. He was probably going to be dead soon anyways. His grey, icy eyes were staring back at him as he looked into the mirror. Draco could hardly recognize himself anymore. His once porcelain, smooth skin was starting to gray and his platinum blonde hair looked unkempt and disheveled. That signature Malfoy family pristine shine had been dulled and cracked, leaving him bruised and broken.

"What the _hell_ am I going to do?" he hissed through his clenched teeth. For a moment he thought he might be sick again, not that anything would come up this time. He had nothing left in him

It had only been ten months since he'd taken the Dark Mark, but in those ten months life had become a living hell he couldn't escape from. As he stood in Borgin And Burkes that night, waiting for the ceremony to begin, he already had the notion to run... but it was too late.

That night, he had been given the "prestigious" duty to carry out what most Death Eaters could only dream of being offered. He was given the task... of killing Albus Dumbledore.

Everything he had done since then, had been geared toward this moment. Those endless nights of wandering the castle, unable to sleep or eat, attempting to plan the impossible. Not only did he need a plan... but he needed the nerve to go through with it.

He was also given the arduous task of letting the Death Eaters into the school. The Dark Lord wanted everyone to know that Hogwarts would be in his control, and he intended to rain holly hell upon it.

He thought himself a genius, when he finally figured out how to let them in to the castle. An idea that Salazar himself would have been proud of.

Snape had offered countless times to help him with his remaining task, but his damn pride always got in his way. Looking back now, he wished he would have shoved that inherited Malfoy pride aside and taken it.

That family pride had been burned into him since the day he was born, along with the idea that blood-status meant everything. Being a pure-blood made him above all those who weren't. This ideal had shaped his whole life, never once having a moment to freely determine the man he truly was. He had always held himself in high standards, knowing his family's name gave him even more of an edge. Most of his life he had been more than willing to join the cause, to rid the world of muggles and Mudbloods... but now... shit...

His knuckles smashed the mirror, shattering glass everywhere and he could feel the warm trickle of blood running down his hand.

"Fuck" he growled, thinking now about how his actions would affect not only him, but his family too. Draco lowered his eyes from the broken mirror, unable to look at himself anymore.

He could admit to himself that he was arrogant, cold and even stubborn... but the one thing he certainly knew he wasn't, was a killer. He had hoped to carry out the plan, smuggle the Death Eaters into Hogwarts, manage to kill Dumbledore and gain his family back in the good graces of the Dark Lord... but he knew that those hopes had gone.

With that in mind, he could add another trait to that list of his. He was also now, a failure.

He glanced down at his watch, smearing away some of his blood on its face to check the time.

"Less than thirty minutes..." he muttered, trying to determine what his next steps would be. The Death Eaters would be waiting to be let in, but if he didn't go through with it, didn't carry out the plan, what then? Surely he would be seen as a traitor, disgracing his family and he knew the Dark Lord would keep his promise on killing him if he failed.

He was paralyzed with fear, his hands gripped the ivory sink like a life raft. His blood left a trail of rust colored tracks, and the sickly smell of iron danced in his nose. He had been walking a fine line between darkness and death for months now. While death would be painful and tortuous, at least it would have a quicker end. Darkness on the other hand, would allow him to live, but live a life that felt far more painful then death ever could. Every moment that ticked by was a moment closer to one of those cliffs, he just had to make a choice which he'd jump from.

But deep down, he knew which way he would fall. He had known for awhile now, he was just too afraid to admit it to himself. There was no way he could ever go through with killing someone. Death was going to be his fate, and while it would be better than a hollow existence, it was still terrifying.

Although death seemed inevitable, Draco had been trying to come up with a plan for over an hour now, possibly to try and run from this double-edged sword. If death was coming, might as well give it his all before it took him. Just what the bloody hell was he suppose to do though?

He thought he could let the Death Eaters in, then somehow manage to escape during all the commotion they were intending to rain down upon the school. Maybe he could do at least part of his job, giving his mother some leniency in the eyes of the Dark Lord for her son's failure... he could only hope.

His actions would affect her as well. He could give two shits about his father's well being, but his mother's life was a different story. He had a feeling she wanted out just as much as he did, but like Draco, had no way of leaving this life his father had so "graciously" bestowed upon them.

It was his father who'd introduced this life to their family, the one who taught him "right from wrong", who told him that blood status was important enough to kill for. _Damn_ him for bringing his life to this point he was at now. Draco knew now he should have figured out life for himself years ago, but at the time, pleasing his parents seemed much more important.

Now here his father was, offering his son to the Dark Lord like a bargaining chip. Knowing full well, if Draco failed, he would kill him. He would risk his own son's life to help make up for the mistakes he had made. _Damn_ him

With another glance in the shattered mirror, Draco felt the watery burn behind his blood shot eyes. Not wanting to succumb to the terror building inside, he quickly decided that this was his only option and his chance to try and escape. Draco knew that simply letting the Death Eaters into Hogwarts would haunt him for months to come, perhaps even years, knowing full well what they intended to do once inside. But if he wanted a chance of escaping death's cold grasp, to try and survive, this would be the time to run.

With a sigh of defeat, muttering "Let's get this over with", he willed himself to put one foot in front of the other and started making his way up to the seventh floor.

 _You failure._

* * *

"Ron, you better hurry up or I swear I will hex you when you get back here." Hermione was mumbling to herself, slightly trembling as she scanned the Marauder's Map for sings of suspicious behavior.

Harry had left hours ago with Dumbledore, and he still wasn't back. Harry had told Ron and her to keep an eye on Malfoy and Snape while he was away, but like she told Harry, it was probably a waste of time.

Ron had decided this was the appropriate time to go sneak some food from the kitchen and left Hermione to keep watch. She didn't think there was any real need to worry, but having someone around always made these types of situations a little more... relaxed. She was definitely tense though, knowing that Harry was on a mission that seemed far too dangerous, even if he was with Dumbledore.

They had both been doing the same thing for almost an hour now. Snape was making his usual rounds around the castle, starting down in the dungeons, going past the kitchen (Ron of course knowing when it was safe to quickly sweet talk some pumpkin pasties from the House-elves), making his way to the astronomy tower, and was probably about to head down to the Great Hall. Malfoy had been in the Slytherin common room and was now in the Prefect's bathroom.

" _Bugger_."

She shifted slightly in the plush couch in the Gryffindor common room. She heard a slight "clink" in her pocket as the vial of Felix Felicis hit her D.A. Galleon. "Let's hope I don't have to use either of you two tonight", giving a small sigh.

Most of her fellow Gryffindor's had already went to bed. It was nearing midnight, and for that she was thankful. The ones that remained up were either too busy snogging off in a dark corner or were too engrossed studying for their O.W.L.s to bother with other people's activities. She didn't need anyone to question her nervous behavior tonight and trying to conceal the map was always tricky.

She set the map next to her and was about to pick up her Ancient Runes book to skim over, when her stomach took a slight tumble. Picking the map back up, she watched Malfoy's dot leave the bathroom. She assumed he was heading back to his room, but her heart still decided to accelerate. Her wide, caramel eyes, were fixed on that little dot. Not wanting to blink in case she missed something. Just as his dot seemed like it was heading back to the dungeons, he turned a corner heading towards the staircase and he began to move a bit faster.

Hermione's heart sank like a rock. "It's ok," she told herself nervously, "he's probably just... going on one of his midnight strolls." They had been watching the map for weeks now, and Malfoy had taken a long midnight walk around the castle almost every night. Never anywhere in particular, just walking around for hours. She watched him closely, trying to convince herself this was the case.

Then, movement down at the opposite corner of the map made her catch a breath, leaving a lump in her throat.

"What the-", she could hear the panic in her own voice. Snape's dot was moving very quickly as well. He had his normal route every night, making sure everyone was in their respective areas and not roaming the halls like "skulking little weasels" as he put it. Not tonight though, tonight he was walking quickly to the sixth floor staircase and not down to the Great Hall. He was making his way up to the seventh floor. Malfoy's dot was nearing the staircase as well now, also speeding up to the seventh floor.

"What in Merlin's name.. Ron where _are_ you?" she looked up at the portrait hole door, then back down at the map. She knew she couldn't wait for Ron to return, not when they both were acting suspicious now.

"That's it Ron, I am definitely hexing you the first chance I get."

She could feel her blood tint her checks red with frustration, her breathing was becoming shallow. She grabbed her wand off the coffee table and started heading for the door. She could start to feel the panic building inside of her, but knew she had to stay focused, preparing for anything that might happen.

She quickly started to run down the dark corridors, making as little sound as possible as she hurried her way to the seventh floor. What on earth could they both be going there for?

"The only thing on the seventh floor" she breathed "is... _no_."

Was Harry right? Had Malfoy been the voice he had heard in the Room of Requirement?

She gripped her wand a little tighter as she neared the seventh floor.

* * *

Hermione could hear voices now, and they sounded angry. She muttered a soft "Mischief Managed" and tucked the map into her robes. She was walking slowly up the hall so she could hear them better, wand ready and out in front. She ducked behind a suit of armor and tried to steady her breathing, listening to the older Slytherin's harsh voice.

"What are you waiting for Draco, why haven't you let them in yet?" Snape snapped, getting even closer to his face. "Are you going to answer me? I have already put the Dark Mark above the tower, they will be back any minute now-"

"Well bloody good for them isn't it" Draco hissed, giving him a glare even Snape would be proud of. "Just give me another minute and I can do this, I just... need some more time." He could feel the tips of his fingers becoming numb as he gripped his wand tighter.

Snape's face was getting much too close for Draco's comfort. If he didn't pull back soon, Draco would move it for him.

"There is no more time Mr. Malfoy, time has been up minutes ago and we have to hurry to the tower if you want to carry out this plan of yours."

He could feel Snape's eyes studying Draco, and when he mentioned the plan, his body betrayed him ever so slightly with a flinch. _Please not have seen that_ , Draco thought.

No such luck, Snape was giving him a slightly inquisitive look now."You do want to carry out this plan.. don't you?"

Draco hated that look. All year Snape had been giving him that same meddlesome look as he tried to pry into his plans. Nosey git. Draco just stood there, his eyes now glued to the floor. He couldn't look at Snape. His hesitation was starting to betray him and Snape was picking up on it.

"Of course I do and I will. I just needed a moment to go over the plan again in my head before I let them in." He was hoping his voice wasn't starting to betray him too. He could sense his body was shaking, he didn't need his voice to waver as well.

Snape was still looking at him with that presumptuous air and he wanted it to stop. Draco could feel his blood starting to boil under his skin. He was nervous enough about the thought of running, he didn't need Snape questioning his intensions. He knew he had to get this done with, time was up and those vultures were already waiting to be let in to pick apart the school.

Hermione was listening as hard as she could. The Dark Mark? Was someone dead? and who was Malfoy trying to let in? There were too many questions filling her head, she needed answers. She needed to keep her mind sharp and her actions sharper.

She had read _Hogwarts: A History_ enough times to know that there aren't very many ways into the school, and the few ways someone could are pretty tricky, even for a skilled wizard. Dumbledore surely would have all exits protected and she hadn't seen anyone on the map in the hidden passage ways.

She took a step closer, moving up a few suits of armor for a better listen, wand still ready and a few shield charms at the tip of her tongue if needed. The corridor was eerily chilly and the wind outside seemed to have picked up causing the windows to shutter. Luckily the moon wasn't very bright tonight, giving her a little more cover in the shadows.

The silence between the two wizards was starting to strangle Draco. He didn't want Snape's eyes questioning his motives anymore. He took a step forward to start the three pass ritual to open the door, when Snape's voice made him faultier.

"Draco, this is my last offer. Please... let me help you." Snape had almost whispered it, causing Hermione to stretch a little closer to hear.

Draco stood still for a moment before slowly turning to face Snape. His eyes were cold, but for the first time since he started asking this question months ago his face wasn't. Usually that look of frustration and intrusiveness was etched into his skin, but not this time. His face almost seemed to have a look of... concern for Draco.

He stared at Snape, trying to figure this look out. It wasn't sitting well on him and it looked very much out of place for him. He didn't really know how to respond.

"You're still trying to steal my credit, trying to take all the glory for yourself?" Draco could tell his voice was definitely shaking now. Hopefully Snape would mistake it for excitement instead of nerves. "Only moments before and you're still trying to find a way to make yourself look good in the Dark Lords eyes." He gave Snape a little smirk, forcing some of his normal charisma to try and seem in character .

"Mr. Malfoy," Snape growled furrowing his brow, " I can assure you that I have no interest in stealing this mission from you and I can assure you that my place with the Dark Lord is far, _far_ better than you and your family's. There would be no point to try and take your so called glory you want so much. I am only offering a chance to help get you through this task and I can safely assume that despite your stubborn and childish tantrums you have had all year, deep down you do want-"

"How the HELL do you know what I want?" Draco had nearly screamed, causing Snape to pull back a little.

That was the push over the edge for him and there was no going back. Death was inevitable, why not jump into it. He was now hoping that when he hit bottom, it would be hard enough that the darkness would engulf him. That darkness had to be better than this...

His voice rang off the stone walls, cutting through Hermione's ear drums like knives. Malfoy's screams made her almost drop her wand, grasping it before it hit the floor. Her breathing was erratic and she was having a hard time steadying it.

"When has it ever been about what I want? My whole life has been decided for me. When have I ever been allowed to have my own thoughts, my own ideas? My sodding father has made my life, and my mother's life for that matter, a living hell!" Draco could feel his anger and frustration flowing out of his every pore, that damn burning sensation building behind his eyes again. His whole body felt like it was going to explode. He had been a ticking time bomb for months now and he had finally reached his detonation.

"I'd give up everything, my entire inheritance just to leave this hell hole of a life if I could. Some Death Eater I am huh, most would jump at the chance I was given, loving every minute of it, watching him die by their hands.."

Hermione could feel her heart drop, her breath caught somewhere between a whimper and a gasp. Harry had been right, he had taken the mark, he was involved with them. How could she have not believed him? Tears started to spill down her checks, bracing her back against the stone wall. How could he have seen it and she didn't? She had always thought Draco was a bully, a prick, even a prejudice bastard. Never did she think he would become a Death Eater, or for that matter a killer.

Draco's screams snapped her back to reality.

"If I have learned one thing from this life so far, it is that there is a _big_ difference between wanting to do something, and having to do something." Draco range was pushing him toward the edge of a breakdown.

He looked at Snape, staring into his cold, black eyes, "He'll kill me if I fail you know." Draco pushed back that burning sensation even harder. Like hell he was going to cry in front of Snape.

"He will probably kill my mother too, or at least punish her for having a shit Death Eater son. He wants to make my father pay for his mistakes, but jokes on him because my father doesn't give a shit about whether I live or die. All he ever wanted in life was to please that bastard even at the expense of his own son." Draco was waiting for Snape to cut him off, to tell him to shut up and get on with the plan and to stop being such a child about this. But he didn't. He just stared right back at Draco, watching him, letting him express what he had clearly been wanting to do for months now.

"So to answer your question, no. No I don't want to carry out this sodding plan, but it doesn't matter what I want. I have to do this, I have to let the Death Eaters into the school, I have to be the one to kill Dumbledore." Draco could barely get those last words out of his mouth. It pricked his lips and tasted like venom on his tongue. His nails had dug deep slits into his palms and he could feel his skin tearing open. He stood there as his screams were still echoing down the halls.

Hermione couldn't believe what she was hearing. She had to cover her mouth to choke down a scream. Kill Dumbledore? No, it couldn't be, there was just no way. And Voldemort had threatened to kill Draco if he didn't? The room was starting to spin, having to sit herself down on the floor trying to collect herself. She was numb, her head was telling her to move, to go find help, but her feet were rooted to the ground. And then there was Snape. He was offering to help him? The man who Dumbledore was so sure was on their side. Harry was right all along, she should know by now to listen to him.

She reached into her pocket, her fingers searching for her Galleon. She had to mobilize help, to warn people, anyone and everyone of what she had just heard. She felt the coin between her trembling fingers and was about to activate it when a small, but cold laugh made her fumble the coin further into her pocket. She was shaking, blinking away a few tears to see what appeared to be a smile on Snape's face.

Snape's voice broke the suffocating silence between them. "It's about time Mr. Malfoy, I was worried you would never get here." An out of place smile appeared on Snape's lips.

Hermione was wondering if the shadows were playing tricks on Snape's face, but she could see the same confused expression she was wearing on Draco's as well. It appeared she wasn't the only one lost on his words, or that unpleasant smile.

"What are you.." whispered Draco.

"Listen, time is definitely not on our side anymore and I don't have any to waste on explaining this." Snape grabbed Draco's arm and whispered close to his ears.

"If you want a chance of having a life, a real life outside of what your father has condemned you with, you must do exactly what I say." He was staring Draco in the eyes, his quickening breaths brushing against his checks.

"You need to run, run to Professor McGonagall's office. Tell her I sent you, she will understand and help you."

Draco was having a hard time standing, let alone soaking up the words that were trying to seep into his brain. The hold Snape had on him was starting to hurt, but for some reason this pain made the emptiness inside a little bearable.

"I don't understand" the blonde wizard stammered, "you're going to what, take over for me? What does McGonagall had to do with this.."

"No, Mr. Malfoy." Snape gave him that out of place smile again. "I am going to help you escape."

Snape's words filled Draco's lungs like fresh, autumn air he had been gasping for all year. He tried to take a step away from him, but Snape still had a hold on him. This was too good to be true. Why would he help him escape?

Maybe this was a trap, straight to the Dark Lord, Snape's offering to gain him even more praise. For the Dark Lord, being handed a traitor was better than Christmas morning to a child. Just far more menacing, and the colors of red usually splashed on the wall by lights and ribbon, would come mealy from the waving of his wand over the poor sinner's throat.

"Draco," Snape shook him a bit hard, "you have to listen to me. Run straight to Professor McGonagall's office and nowhere else, do you understand me?" Snape had gained back that cold, stern face and was now pushing Draco down the hall. With one last shove, he stopped and watched Draco stumble over his feet.

"I wish you would have told me this sooner or picked a better time than now to have this revelation... but I am glad you finally realized that this life, is no life at all. I promise I will try and help your mother as much as I can." His stony, black eyes were piecing into Draco's.

Draco still didn't understand what was going on. His stomach was in his throat and his heart felt like at any moment it would burst. A thin layer of sweat had started to form on his forehead and his throat was burning like he had just taken a shot of Fire Whiskey. The taste of bile was in his mouth now and it took everything he had to keep it from coming out. A whirlwind of emotions were running through his head an there was just not enough space in there for each one.

"Now, quickly" and with one final shove, Draco was unknowingly running down as fast as he could to what he believed was the most unlikely person to help him escape.

Snape stood there for a moment, listening to Draco's footsteps become increasingly harder to hear.

"And I suggest," he calmly stated, "that you would be wise to also run, Miss Granger."

Hermione gasped, unable to silence it. She was shaking something terrible and she still couldn't feel her legs. She tried to steady her wand arm, but there was just no use. Her tears were making it hard to focus, but she could hear something in his tone that assured her he wasn't about to attack.

She straighten herself up and had started to take a step forward when his voice make her freeze again.

"This is about to be a very unsafe hallway, and it would be wise to alert the Order to head to the Astronomy Tower." Snape turned his head over his shoulder, just enough to catch a glimpse of auburn hair whip around the corner, hearing her footsteps quickening with each step.

* * *

Draco was having a hard time keeping his feet from tripping over each other. The light from the moon was minimal and the shadows it was casting on the walls didn't help calm his nerves. He braced his hands on the stone walls, letting the cold it was emitting consume him. His breaths were uncertain and his still bleeding hands were leaving small, cherry kissed smudges along the wall. He took a few steps forward, using the walls to help balance himself.

"Go see McGonagall, is he serious?" he was gasping for air, coughing up bile in between each breath.

"The sorting hat would sooner put me in Gryffindor before that bitch helps me in any way." He was nearing her office now, still unsure if he was even going to enter.

He grabbed his wand and whispered a soft _Lumos_ , just enough to help him see the rest of the way. The now ex-Death Eater and traitor was trying to steady his breathing as best he could, not wanting to reveal to anyone his position just yet.

He was standing in front of her office door now, deciding if he should go in or take off on his own, but where would he go? Nowhere. He had nowhere to hide and not a clue where to start looking. This was his only option, a very doubtful one that.

His fingers reached out, clutching the icy, brass door knob and was just about to turn it when he heard shuffling coming from the other side. He tried to listen more closely, when the door was pulled open so quickly, the person on the other side almost ran into him.

"Oh!" the witch screamed, "What on earth.. Mr. Malfoy, what in Merlin's name are you doing here?" She gave Draco a demanding and untrusting stare.

He wanted to hex that look right off her face.

Draco hesitated for a moment, still unsure of himself on why he was there.

Casting his eyes down, he whispered "Snape... sent me."

He said it so quietly, he wasn't even sure she heard him. His jaw was clenched so hard, he was afraid it might snap. He glanced up to take a quick look at the old bat when her face told him she had definitely heard.

"Mr. Malfoy," she breathed, "quickly, come inside." She walked back into her office and stood to the side, waiting for him to follow suit.

The still confused wizard took a hard look at the witch, not understanding her sudden change of face. She seemed to looked relived now, but still very worried.

Draco took a step forward into her office, hating himself more and more with every stride.

How did his life end up here, relying on the people he had hated the most for help?

* * *

Note: Well here we go! Hope it was good. I already can't wait to start chapter 2. It should be up in the next week or so :)

 _Toujours._


	2. Chapter 2: Human

**Wounded**

Chapter 2: Human

Reluctantly, Draco followed McGonagall inside, keeping a close eye on her movements in case she decided to reach for her wand. He trusted her about as much as he did Potter, and he had a feeling it was mutual.

As the witch closed the door, she waved her hand across it, muttering a few locking charms. He could hear the clicking of the bolts, making him twitch ever so slightly. Something about that sound made him feel like he was being trapped in a cage, unable to escape. It was a feeling he had become all too familiar with lately.

After a moment of observing the witch, his eyes wandered around her office. The only light in the room was coming from a few low, burning candles in the corner and the moon's muted glow. The wind outside was pounding at the glass, begging to be let in. A small cup of tea on her desk looked to still be steaming, giving the room a soft honey-lemon scent. Parchment was scattered across its surface, soaking up the ebony oil from her spilled inkwell. She had clearly just left in a hurry.

He then noticed a harsh, green light was illuminating the outside. Draco took a few steps toward the window. Panic stole his next few breaths as his grey eyes dilated, taking it all in. There was the Dark Mark, ominously hovering just above the Astronomy Tower.

The irony of the situation was not lost on him. Here he was, standing in the office of the Gryffindor loving, equality preaching McGonagall. He'd come to seek her help and until only moments ago, was the one who was suppose to be up there, performing what the Dark Mark embodied... death and destruction.

This unsettling thought made him look away from the window. His heart beat was thundering inside his chest. That bile taste was starting to burn his throat again.

"I'd just noticed it before I found you" McGonagall softly spoke, nearing the window herself.

His head twisted around in surprise of her voice. "Ran over more like" he scoffed, rolling his eyes.

Draco glanced to his side, eyeing the look of stress on her worn face. Her voice was hushed and her hands slightly trembling. The purple and grey smudges under her eyes made him think she also had been having a hard time finding sleep. Her brow started to wrinkle.

"Draco, you said Professor Snape sent you. Do you know why?" He could tell that her skepticism of him was coming back, but at least it seemed like she was trying to hide it this time.

Shifting from the window, he took a few steps back. His wand was still firmly grasped in his hands as he started to tap it against his leg. Although her surface emitted the look of exhaustion and terror, her eyes still seemed to have some fight left in them. The foolish old witch was trying to put on that sodding Gryffindor "brave face" they were so revered for.

 _How disgusting_.

"Honestly," his voice taut, "I don't really know myself." Draco watched McGonagall, wondering when she would show any sign of knowing herself why he was there. He had just been told to go straight to her office and that she could help him, fill him in on why he was sent to her of all people to begin with.

He stared at her for a moment before answering. "Snape said you would know what to do when I came here."

Draco gave her a fixed expression. If she didn't have any idea what he was talking about, he was fucked. This was his last option and at this point, his only option. He was sure the Death Eaters would go looking for him once they realized he wasn't with Snape. There'd be no escaping death at this point.

A soft sigh of affirmation escaped McGonagall's mouth. Draco arched an eyebrow, wondering if finally one of the two knew what the hell was doing in her office.

McGonagall's eyes turned back to the window, "It was Professor Snape who put the Mark above the tower, wasn't it?"

Every muscle in Draco's body tensed, his eyes growing wider. The look of pure bewilderment stole his face. He started to raise his wand to McGonagall, not exactly knowing why, but instinct told him something wasn't right.

"What the-", his voice thick with confusion. "How did you know that?"

"Please, Mr. Malfoy, put down your wand. There is no need for that here." She crossed the room and went behind her desk, setting her wand on top of it.

Draco was thrown. McGonagall didn't look shocked or angry about knowing this information. No. She seemed almost like she just needed conformation on something she had already suspected. He still didn't lower his wand. That look made him even more suspicious.

"I will not ask you again Mr. Malfoy, put down that wand or I'll make yo-"

Just as McGonagall took a step forward towards Malfoy, a loud, harsh _crack_ came from somewhere inside the castle. It threw Draco off balance, causing him to place his hands on her desk to balance himself.

"Shit" he stammered. "They must be inside already."

"Who's inside?" McGonagall quickly asked, trying to steady herself on her chair. Her already worried lines in her face were increasing. "Death Eaters?"

He shot her a confused stare, but she held his gaze. She looked like she just wanted confirmation again, not at all surprised about the words that came out of her mouth.

She was full of surprises tonight apparently. _How the hell did she know that_? It didn't make sense. He was going to ask her again how she knew, but another loud blow inside the castle caused Draco to let it go for now. She hadn't hexed him yet, she was even defenseless now that she had set down her wand and so far it didn't seem like this was a trap. Right now, Death Eaters were out there, killing and causing devastation, working their way up to the tower towards the true intent of their mayhem. Questions could wait for now.

"Yes," he answered, still grasping her desk for support. "Snape must have let them in to the castle. They are on their way up to the tower to.. " He couldn't bring himself to say it. That venom taste was coming back to his mouth and he couldn't stomach it again. He cast an uneasy glance toward her.

That out of place look of acceptance was there on her face again. "Listen to me Draco. You must stay here, hidden from them. They are sure to come looking for you. If you want a chance to survive, you _must_ understand what I am telling you." The witch moved toward the door, her expression now determined.

She turned to face Draco, "I'm sorry, but I have to go. I still have my part to play in this. You'll be safe here, but only if you _stay_ inside my office until I get back." McGonagall cracked open her door, checking to make sure there was no one in the halls as delicate screams from above leaked into the room.

Safe? He doubted that. He had forgotten what safety felt like for months now, and her promise held no worth to him. Knowing that the Dark Lord would now be out for his blood didn't give him hope of being safe anytime soon. Until he had Draco's bloody, dying corpse in his own hands, he would hunt him relentlessly.

"I will lock you in here. No one will be able to enter as long as you _stay_ inside. Do you understand me?" The witch gave him a pleading look. "I promise I will explain everything when I get back." She looked almost like she felt sorry for him. Draco didn't need her pity, he didn't deserve it.

The Malfoy heir simply stared back at her, not knowing how to respond. He didn't really have an option at this point. His life was in her hands now, no matter how revolting that was to him.

He gave her a somber nod.

The wind outside had turned to rain, tapping hard against the glass. The soft light from the moon had gone now, but he was sure he could see a small tear glide down along her cheek.

"We won't let his death be in vain Draco" and with those parting words she was out the door.

He could hear the locking spells clicking into place again outside the door, as well as a few protective and silencing charms. The drumming of the rain was becoming harder and harder for him to hear.

The light from the candles were causing the shadows to dance across the walls. The sweet honey scent still lingered in the air. He could hear his breathing becoming heavier and heavier. Looking down at his hands, he saw they had crusted dry with blood and were now stained with ink from her desk.

He dragged his sullied hands through his hair. His legs couldn't support him anymore and he fell to the floor, leaning his back against the cold, hard wood of her desk. The emptiness he felt inside was starting to consume him.

 _How did the old bat know about everything? How did she know about Dumbledore and why did she think he would still die tonight?_

Draco was no longer planning on going through with it, so why couldn't he survive?

But he knew even without him there, another Death Eater would jump at the chance to take over. Someone else would want the glory in the eyes of the Dark Lord and would succeed in Dumbledore's assassination. If the Dark Lord wanted a task done, failure was never an option. At least not one that would allow you to live.

There were too many questions consuming his mind and having no answers only made him feel that much more helpless. Never had Draco felt like a scared child, relying on others to help him. Self preservation was something he was accustomed too, proud of even. But lately he was having a hard time of doing that.

He dug his nails into his skull, that burning sensation was building behind his eyes again.

For the first time in his life he was thankful for something McGonagall had done. He just hoped that the silencing charms would hold as his soft sobs filled the room.

* * *

Hermione bunched her robes tightly inside her hand. She was clutching her chest as she sprinted down the corridors. Her lungs felt like they had shriveled up inside and her eyes were glossed with tears. She was trying to make it back up to the Gryffindor common room, in hopes Ron would be there by now. Every step that she took was a battle against time. She had to be quick to find her friends, to warn them.

Floundering for her Galleon inside her robes, she quickly activated it. She set the coins parameters for anyone who could respond to come to the Gryffindor common room. It took her a few attempts to set the right location. Her fingers were trembling. She could hardly feel them they were so numb. She slipped the coin back in her pocket.

The harsh winds outside kept making her feel like she was being followed. Every hair on the back of her neck was standing at attention. Its persistent need to tap on the windows made her jump and check that she was alone every time.

Her brain felt like it was being pulled in a million directions, ready to splinter at any moment. She couldn't comprehend what she had just witnessed. There were too many questions filling her head with no answers to empty it. For each question she thought of, at least three more would follow.

 _Why did Snape let her run, shouldn't he have captured her since she knew their plan? Voldemort had threatened to kill Draco if he didn't murder Dumbledore? Snape couldn't really be working for Voldemort, could he? Not when Dumbledore trusted him so much._

The questions kept piling higher and higher in her head.

She stumbled, causing her to throw her hands out in front to catch herself. The sweat from her hands made them slide along the banister leading up to the common room. Hermione gripped it as hard as she could. At that moment, she needed to feel something stable in her life. She could feel the blood start to leave her cheeks, she felt faint.

Soft gasps for air left her mouth, "I knew something had been off about Malfoy."

She had seen it on his face for months now. She told Harry he'd been looking rather pale lately, at least paler than normal. His skin had started to grey and he had look rather unhealthy. Harry of course just made some snide remark about he hoped Malfoy was actually sick in the hopes it would slow down whatever plan he was trying to accomplish.

She even noticed that his usual smugness and need for authority over others had gone. His quick tongue use to get him into loads of trouble, but not recently. He used to make awful, snide remarks about her blood status every chance he had. Now that she thought about it, she couldn't even remember the last time he had done that. That Malfoy strut he once walked down the halls with had disappeared.

She thought back to the nights when it was her turn to watch him on the map for suspicious behavior. A few times she had tried following him on his midnight strolls, trying to make sense of his actions. Most of his nights were spent aimlessly wander the castle, muttering to himself and throwing punches at the walls. One time she swore she heard a loud _crack_ as his knuckles smashed against the unforgiving stone.

It all made sense now.

She had never seem him look so terrified before, so vulnerable, so... human.

" _Lumos_ " her voice was brittle. She was trying to see her way up the stairs, but she was having a hard time concentrating. The light on the end of her wand kept fading. The moon wasn't providing much light tonight, and she kept tripping over herself.

She managed a few more steps until she collapsed just outside the common room door. She was still gasping for air when she heard a familiar voice heading her way. She used her sleeve to wipe her slightly swollen eyes, trying to get rid of any evidence she had been crying before she looked up.

Ron was walking up the staircase now, talking with Luna. He glanced up and must have seen her on the ground. His strides quickened.

"Hermione," he reached down and grabbed her arm. She was able to find her footing again, using the banister to steady herself. "I was walking back when I ran into Luna. She told me she felt her Galleon warm and started heading here. What the bloody hell happened, you look like you've just seen a ghost." His wide, blue eyes were scanning her, trying to discern what had happen.

Hermione was lost for words. Her body was still trembling, feeling another wave of tears fast approaching. She held them in, slowly starting to feel some warmth come back to her face and finger tips. Having her two friends by her side was helping to calm her nerves, even if it was just for a moment.

"I doubt it was a ghost Ron, all the ghost I've met have been very pleasant. Even the Bloody Barron can be charming if you just give him a chance" the doe-eyed blonde spoke. "Unless it was a Heliopath, they can be a little off putting." Hermione saw Ron roll his eyes as the witch turned to her, looking for some type of response.

"No.. no that's not it" Hermione shook her head, feeling a dry chuckle escape her mouth. Luna always had a way of making her smile, even at times like these. She was grateful that Luna always kept her Galleon close. She had always been one of the more "alert" members of the D.A., even after last year's events.

Hermione turned to her redheaded friend, "Look, Ron I.." She was about to tell him about what she had witnessed, but something made her stop. She wasn't quit sure herself what had just happened. She didn't know why, but she thought it best to leave Draco out of it for now.

"I ran into Snape, just a few moments ago-"

"What?" Ron spat. "What do you mean you ran into him? Why did you leave the common room?"

"Well, while some of us decided it was the proper time to go and have a snack, I saw him start acting suspicious." She glanced over at Ron, noticing his checks were flushed and his arms crossed.

"I went to investigate and, well, there isn't a whole lot of time to explain everything, but he said someone is planning on trying to kill Dumbledore tonight. He said we needed to-"

Hermione immediately froze. In an instant, the atmosphere had changed. The whole castle was shaking and somewhere off in the distance she could hear horror filled screams. The terror that had worked its way into her body was coursing through her veins faster now, making it even harder to breath.

Ron was staring at her, "What do you _mean_ someone is going to kill Dumbledore, that's impossible." The look of horror on her friend's face made her stomach churn.

She looked at her two friends, "Listen, we have to get to the Astronomy Tower. Snape said that's where we needed to go and to round up anyone we can from the Order."

"Snape said that did he?" Ron gave her a perturbed look. "Why the hell should we listen to what he says, that sounds more like a trap to me." Another rumble deep in the castle made Ron look like the terror was trying to invade his body now too.

"No," Hermione shook her head, "I don't know how to explain it, but I know it isn't a trap." She thought back to her brief and all too confusing moment with Snape. He could have easily disarmed her in the state she was in, but instead decided to let her go, to even warn her. Although it wasn't in his nature to sound trusting, somehow he had managed to pull it off.

Another loud crash made the three friends jump, all now looking at each other, hoping one of them had the answer on what to do next.

"Listen, " Hermione reached into her robes and pulled out the bottle of Felix Felicis. "Harry gave this to us to use in case something like this happened." She pulled the small cork out of the tiny bottle and handed it to Luna.

"We can split it amongst the three of us." Hermione watched as Luna and then Ron took a sip, handing it back to her.

As Hermione poured the golden liquid past her dry, chapped lips, she felt its warmth hit the back of her throat as it spread throughout her whole body. Although she could feel the fear still running through her veins, it didn't seem so painfully numbing anymore.

"Right," Ron looked at the two witches with a new found hope in his eyes. "If you say that's where we should go, I'll trust you. Not to say that it doesn't sound mental tough." He took out his wand, grasping it tightly, "Let's go then."

Hermione watched Ron and Luna start running towards the chaos. She stood there for a moment, blinking a few times as she took a deep breath. Just as she was about to start heading towards it herself, an out of place thought stole her mind.

 _I wonder if Draco is safe._

She blinked a few more times before she realized Ron was calling her name. She quickly shook that intrusive thought from her head. There were far more important things to worry about right now than him. After all, it seemed like some of this was his fault.

She gripped her wand hard, determination was starting to win the fight over her fears. She could only hope that luck really was on their side tonight.

* * *

It had been hours since McGonagall had left Draco. He was still in the exact same place, leaning up against her desk. The candles had burned out over an hour ago, and he had been left sitting in the dark.

His breathing had slowed, but his brain was still racing. He just wanted answers and he needed her to come back to help ease his overworked mind.

He was clutching fistfuls of his silvery hair, his leg anxiously fidgeting. _When the hell was she going to get back?_

He turned his watch toward him, reading it was nearly three in the morning. He let out a low scoff. The more time that passed without her return only made him feel worse. More time meant more disorder, more chaos, possibly even more casualties to clean up. He may not have gone through with whatever was happening out there, but he had had a hand in it. It was his idea that led the way for the Death Eaters to rain terror upon the school, to be able to get to Dumbledore.

"What the hell have I done?" he whispered to himself.

Just then he heard a small, _click_ at the door. He shot up off the floor a little too quickly. He felt light headed, causing him to place a shaky hand on her desk for support.

He eyed the door as he raised his wand. He was hoping he wouldn't have to defend himself, he was in no shape to put up a good fight.

After a few eternal moments, the door cracked open and McGonagall slid inside.

"It's me Mr. Malfoy" the witch whispered.

Draco's heart started to beat again, letting out the breath that had been trapped in his throat.

McGonagall flicked her wand. A few more lit candles appeared in the corner, giving the room some life back. Draco blinked a few times, his eyes adjusting to the new glow.

He scanned the old witch, noticing that she looked like hell. She had a deep gash on the side of her check and blood was still trickling from it. Her eyes screamed of exhaustion and parts of her robe had been singed. She smelled of iron and soot.

McGonagall looked up at Draco and he thought for a moment she was about to cry. He really hoped that she didn't. He was never any good at comforting people and there was no way in hell he would try to with her. He just wanted answers.

He shifted awkwardly, the silence between them was starting to strangle him, but he wasn't about to be the first one to speak. He wanted answers and she promised she would give them when she returned. He just stared at her, waiting for her to make the first move.

He noticed her lip twitch slightly before she finally spoke. "I think it's best we have that talk now Draco." She started walking towards her desk, and sat down.

"I'd say so" he hissed with certainty. "Tell me, is he.." He held his breath, waiting for the answer he already knew. He had to hear it from her to believe it though. He balled his fists, feeling his nails pressing into them, cutting deeper slits than before.

"Please, Mr. Malfoy sit down" she breathed, gesturing to the chair opposite her.

"Like hell, tell me-"

"Mr. Malfoy, I am in _no_ mood for your attitude tonight." She shot him one of her stern looks he could never stand. "Now sit down and we can discuss everything."

Draco's chest was heaving. He needed to know if Dumbledore was dead. Even if he hadn't been the one to use the _Avada_ curse on him, he still felt somewhat responsible. He narrowed his eyes at her, refusing to sit down until she answered him.

Her voice was harsh this time, "I will not ask you again Draco, sit down or-"

"Tell me!" Draco just about screamed at the witch, "Tell me, is he dead?" He was breathing so hard he could barley control himself. He knew rage wasn't the answer, but it didn't matter. He had been holding this fear in for too long and it had been scratching at his throat to get free.

McGonagall looked like she was about to yell herself, but instead took a breath and bowed her head.

"Yes" she said remorsefully. "Yes Draco, he is."

And there it was. The words he needed to hear, but hoped he hadn't. The pain from them bit down to his bones. Dumbledore was dead and he had played a part in it. _Damn it_.

It took him a moment to realize McGonagall was calling his name. He looked at her, wanting to say something, but lost for words.

"Please Draco, now sit down and I will explain everything I can to you." She flicked her wand and the chair pulled away from her desk, inviting him to sit.

This time Draco did as he was asked. His felt like he was going to collapse anyways."Look, I-"

"No Draco, me first," McGonagall put up a hand, telling him she intended to say her piece before he did.

Draco didn't argue, he didn't have it in him too. He just sat there and listened to the witch as she explained the last year of his life.

* * *

As Draco woke the next the day, every muscle and bone in his body felt broken. His head was throbbing, and he was pretty sure his throat had disintegrated. He'd spent an hour in the bathroom last night, coughing up bile until his throat bled.

He blinked his eyes a few times, looking at his surroundings. He remembered that McGonagall had conjured a bed for him in her spare room off of her office. Thunder rumbled above him, causing the windows to shake. The storm seemed to have no intentions of letting up anytime soon and it persisted to cast an ominous feeling in the room. How appropriate.

He rolled over and groaned into his pillow, letting a few choice words slip through his lips as he thought back on last night's conversation with McGonagall.

She explained that a few months ago, Dumbledore and Snape had came to her. She was told about how Voldemort threatened Draco if he didn't find a way to kill Dumbledore and to also find a way to let the Death Eaters into the school. All three of them had hoped that Draco wouldn't to go through with it and were watching out for him as best they could. Snape had tried numerous times to help him, even try to hint at the fact that he didn't have to go through with it. But of course, Draco had always been too stubborn.

In case Draco did plan to go through with his task, Dumbledore had told her that Snape was to intervene and be the one to kill him. Dumbledore wanted to spare Draco from such a soul altering task.

Dumbledore didn't explain how to her, but had told her that he was already dying due to a curse he'd obtained earlier in the year. Death was now inevitable for him, he just wanted it to be on his terms. If Draco wasn't going to kill him, he wanted his end to be at the hands of someone he knew, someone he trusted. That's why Snape still went through with it last night. Snape also still had to act the part of a Death Eater. The Order still needed their mole. Killing Dumbledore himself would solidify his standing with Voldemort.

Dumbledore told McGonagall that if Draco didn't go through with it, if he did decided to run, he would need protection. Dumbledore instructed her to find him shelter and to make sure once the Death Eaters where inside, to protect the students and to get them out as soon as she could.

Last night, Draco felt his head explode. Dumbledore had known the whole time of his task. He knew that he was planning on killing him, and he still tried to help him, to spare him of the soul tearing, life altering task of killing.

 _But Why? Why did he even care about Draco? What had he done to deserve any help from him?_

Finding out that Snape was a blood traitor playing the role of a Death Eater was the final nail in the coffin. That was when his mind and stomach couldn't take anymore. He locked himself inside of her bathroom, trying to come to terms with anything she had said to him was indeed true.

Finally needing to at least lay down, he left the bathroom and stumbled into the room she had provided for him. He just laid there, staring up into the ceilings endless darkness. At some point, his heavy eye lids won and he managed a few stolen moments of sleep. But his mind didn't let him rest long.

The guilt and fear were slowly crawling their way back into Draco. He felt empty, hopeless, alone, but maybe he deserved to feel like this. He sure thought he did.

A sudden knock at his door made him flinch. He didn't answer back, just laid there in his self loathing.

"Mr. Malfoy." McGonagall's voice sounded soft.

He gave a small grunt of acknowledgment, but still didn't move from the bed.

He could hear a small sigh from the witch from behind the door. "Mr. Malfoy, I need you to come down to the office in about thirty minutes. We still need to discuss where you will be headed and it will need to happen soon."

Draco rolled his eyes. He didn't care anymore what happened to him. He had no motivation, nothing driving him. Not even the fact that the Dark Lord was probably hunting him now. He just felt hollow and he was sure being on the run would only make the hole inside him deeper and darker.

McGonagall spoke through the door again, this time her tone a little more coarse. "I tried to gather a few of your belongings from your room for you," she hesitated. "But I am sorry to inform you that the Death Eaters beat me to it. It seems they set your room on fire and destroyed most of your items while looking for you."

"Of course they did," he breathed. "If you expect some type of gratitude for trying, I wouldn't hold your breath." He sat up in his bead, his bones slightly cracking as he did. He looked down at his swollen, cut up hand. He thought about trying a healing spell on it, but what was the point.

He heard a loud thud outside his door. "You can lose the attitude Mr. Malfoy. I did manage to salvage a few things from the fire." She sounded pissed now, making Draco smile slightly. "I expect you down stairs in thirty minutes. Make sure to bring your belongings with you. Don't make me have to come back here."

He rubbed his hands over his tired face. "What a bitch". The thought of having to interact with anyone was very unappealing at the moment. He was sore and tired, and really just wanted to be left alone.

He could hear her footsteps becoming quitter as she went back to her office. Draco slowly made his way out of bed and headed to the door.

Opening it, he looked down and saw a small bag with what little he had left in life. He could see a few shirts, pants and undergarments sticking out of it.

Grabbing the bag, even though the thought sickened him, he still managed a snicker. "Now I know what Weasel must feel like." How fucking pathetic.

* * *

Hermione closed the door to the Gryffindor tower and started to make her way through the castle. Professor McGonagall had sent her a message to come to her office as soon as she could.

The halls were empty. Most of the student's parents had come to pick them up last night after learning of Dumbledore's death. Hearing that Death Eaters breached the castle only made things worse. The few students who remained behind had spent the night in the Great Hall. They were to be sent home this morning by the train, escorted by some protection from a few of the professors.

Although Professor McGonagall had removed the Death Eaters from the castle, it was clear that the students needed to leave it at once. McGonagall had gotten word last night from Kingsley saying since Dumbledore was now dead, the Ministry was intending to take over Hogwarts in the next few days. Although no one would admit it, it was clear that the Ministry had been corrupted for awhile now. It was under the control of Voldemort and with Dumbledore no longer here to shield the school from the Ministry, he intending to take this opportunity.

McGonagall had then tried to force Harry, Ron, Ginny and herself to leave, saying it wasn't safe to wait until morning in case the Ministry decided to come sooner. That took even more convincing, but finally the two Weasley's and Harry gave in. Hermione on the other hand refused to leave, saying it was a Prefect's duty to stay and help until the last student left.

Ron pointed out with that logic he should stay too and Harry wasn't about to leave her at the castle without them.

"I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself" she snapped. "It will only be until morning and then I will come straight to the Burrow-"

"No" her best friends chimed together.

"There is absolutely no way we are leaving you behind. If we go, you will come with us" Harry stated.

Hermione's eyes narrowed, her lips stretched thin.

"Harry, if anyone should leave the castle immediately it's you and you know I'm right" exhaling forcefully. "If they do come tonight, it will be you who they will look for." She turned to Ron.

"And you should be with your family. There's no reason to stay here tonight. I'm sure they need all the help they can get setting up the protective enchantments around the Burrow." She could feel her checks flush red with anxiety. Getting everyone home and safe was her main priority now, and that included her two best friends.

After a few more minutes of persistent persuasion, and one of her infamous "I've made up my mind" looks, they boys knew there was no convincing her. She assured them that she would be fine for the night and she would leave as quickly as she could the next morning.

Although she felt that she had a duty to uphold, the fear that had invaded her body hadn't left yet. She was just glad morning had finally come and only a few students remained. She would be able to leave soon and join her friends in the safety of the Burrow.

Her footsteps echoed throughout the hallways. The cold, stormy weather outside caused her to wrap her cloak around her a little tighter, causing her to drop her handbag with a loud thud.

"Bollocks" she muttered.

She hadn't managed any rest last night. She had hoped to cry herself to sleep, expecting the sheer trauma of the events that day had brought would weight her down into something that resembled sleep. But it didn't. Her tears only left her with more pain and feeling more exhausted.

After laying in bed for awhile with dried tears on her lashes, she had a thought. Now that Voldemort was quickly rising to power, they had to be prepared. She was not one who liked to be caught off guard and she always planned ahead.

Knowing that her and her friends may have to soon run at any moment, she grabbed one of her handbags and placed an Undetectable Extension Charm on it. She began to pack it with supplies needed for a quick getaway. From clothes, to books, first aid supplies and she even made a quick trip to a Hogwart's supply room Fred and George had supposedly "stumbled" upon once to grab a few items. She knew stealing was wrong, but under the circumstances she was sure it could be over looked.

Last night had presented too many questions with not enough answers, and she was always one for having them. The least she could do now was to be always be prepared.

"I'll need to start packing for the boys right away too" she stated as she picked up her purple bag. "Merlin knows if I leave them to do it, it'd probably never get done."

She shook her head with a small chuckle, causing a few of her chestnut curls to fall out of her messy, pulled back hair.

Hermione was a few doors away from McGonagall's office when she could hear muffled voices coming from inside. She started to walk slower, holding her wand in front of her, trying to silence her footsteps. Waiting just outside her door, she listened, trying to figure out who she was talking to.

"Please tell them thank you." McGonagall spoke. "Make sure they know it will only be for a few days. I just need a little more time to get it ready. I should be sending them over soon."

A small, soft spoken voice answered. "Yes miss, I will make sure they know."

She knew that voice.

 _Dobby?_

A small popping sound made her slightly jump.

Curiosity consumed her as she reached out and knocked on her door.

"Come in" McGonagall said.

Taking a deep breath, she entered the witch's office.

"Hello Professor." Hermione gave her a small nod. She was looking around her office for some type of clue to what they had been talking about when that intrusive thought stole her mind again.

 _Malfoy_.

With the chaos and confusion of last night, she had forgotten that Malfoy had been sent to her. Everything had happened so fast. With Dumbledore's death, the Death Eaters and everyone trying to leave the school, she hadn't had time to tell her friends what she had witnessed.

 _Had Draco actually come? If so, where was he now?_

Wondering if she would be out of line to inquire on a few things, a noise coming from behind made her head turn.

Her soft, honey eyes widened while a little gasp left her mouth.

"What the _hell_ is she doing here" Draco hissed as he walked into the room. He stopped just short of her, giving her a disgusted look.

McGonagall stood from her desk. "Please you two, have a seat."

* * *

Note: Sorry for this chapter being on the longer side, but I needed to get it to this point! I will be following some things from the book, but for the most part I want to take it in a different direction!

Thank you to everyone who has started following my story!

For the next chapter, things are going to start picking up between Draco and Hermione. You can expect good arguments, questionable thoughts and.. Death Eaters?! :) It should be up in about a week or so again.

Hope you enjoyed!

 _Toujours_.


	3. Chapter 3: Teacup

**Wounded**

Chapter 3: Teacup

Draco didn't move, he just kept his cold, grey eyes fixed on Hermione.

She was holding his stare. Unwavering, unblinking, certain that she wasn't going to let him intimidate her. The tension in the room was so palpable, she was sure if she wanted to she could reach out and touch it.

 _What does he have to be upset at me for?_

After all, it seemed like he deserved some blame for what happened last night. He claimed that he had been forced in to his actions, but she still didn't know the whole story. When it came to Malfoy, she knew better than to trust anything that came out of his mouth. If anyone should be looking disgusted, it was her.

She noticed Draco's freshly bruised hand twitch right before reaching for his wand. Her heart faltered, causing her to catch her breath, but she was too quick.

Raising her wand to meet his eyes, she spoke in an almost taunting voice. "Please, go ahead and try. I'd love for you to give me a reason to hex that _stupid_ look right off your face." Her eyes narrowed as she gripped her wand tighter.

Draco took a step toward the witch, confronting her face to face. "Don't you _dare_ point that at me."

He could feel her small, hasty breaths on his cheeks. He could almost taste her uneasiness, but her eyes spoke with pure disdain. _Where does she get off thinking she can threaten me?_

"I'm warning you Granger, put it down or I'll-"

"Or you'll what" she spat, standing her ground as he continued to approach her." From the looks of it, I doubt you'd even be able to hold your wand, let alone use it." She held his icy stare as it sent shivers down her spine.

Draco clamped down on his jaw as he clutched his fist. Glancing down at his hand, he unfortunately knew she had a point. His wand hand was still swollen and had badly bruised over night. The shooting pains that came as he held it shut made him think that a few of his knuckles may even be fractured. But no way in hell was he was going to let her feel like she was right.

He was standing so close now, he practically whispered in her ear. "I promise you," he said, "I am _more_ than capable of defending myself. You're lucky you're a girl though Granger. If it had been Potter or Weasley standing here, I would have let their face feel just how fine my hand really is."

He gave himself a small chuckle with that pleasant thought, watching her lips grow thin. "I'd leave them no doubt in my abilities to defend myself, with or without a wand."

"Funny," she retorted back, "And here I thought the only reason you didn't try to punch me back during third year was because your eyes were too full of tears to see me." She watched his face, loving the look of fury and humiliation spreading across it as he stepped back from her.

"Maybe you do have some type of morals after all, but I assure you, me being a girl has nothing to do with your inability to fight me." She stood up a little straighter, meeting his fiery gaze. "I think we both know the real reason you won't is because you're too scared. I've always beaten you at everything else in school, why should dueling be any different."

"You fucking little bit-"

"That's _enough_ you two" McGonagall spoke as she held up her hand. In an instant, both Draco and Hermione's wands were now being held by the witch.

"And here I had hoped we could have this discussion with a little civility." She cast a disapproving look towards both of them.

Hermione spoke with an apologetic tone, while Malfoy simply rolled his eyes.

"Professor I-"

"Please Miss Granger" she said. "I know you know how to behave more sensible than this. I was hoping you'd be the more mature one in this conversation."

Hermione gave a small sigh of exasperation. McGonagall was right. She did know that playing into Malfoy's little arguments was what he wanted. She knew it was childish too, but she was never one to back down from a fight. Childish or not, she'd be damned to let him have the last word.

She glanced back over at Malfoy, noticing he looked like hell. He was still wearing the same clothes as last night when she had seen him and his hair looked even more unkempt. The metallic smell of blood from his hand was starting to hit her nose, making her feel a little uneasy. It was reminding her too much of last night.

Malfoy noticed Hermione's glimpse. He eyed her for a moment, watching as one of her dark toffee curls slip from her ponytail, landing softly against her rosy tinted cheek.

For some reason he always loved seeing her flustered. He loved it even more when he was the cause of her anger. Sure it made him feel powerful, but really it was the look of animosity in her eyes and the venom she spoke that made him goad her. Something about their arguments always left him feeling... satisfied.

Hating himself for even thinking about that, he quickly shot her a look of annoyance.

"Just what the hell are you looking at" he hissed.

"And Mr. Malfoy," McGonagall said, raising her voice. "I don't think you are in any position to be looking for a fight."

Giving them both a stern look, she waved her wand and the two chairs moved outwards from her desk.

"Now, please, both of you take a seat. We have a lot to get through in a little amount of time." McGonagall sat back down in her chair, waiting for her two bitter students to follow suit.

Hermione stood there for a moment, listening to the storm raging on outside. Her heart was pounding, almost as loudly as the rain was hitting the window. Being in the same room as Malfoy was never easy. His insistent need to provoke hostility from people was infuriating. But she refused to be a part of it, even if she had to bite down on her tongue until it bled.

Questions were starting fill her mind again, making it hard to concentrate.

 _Why is he still here? Why had Dobby been here and who had they been talking about?_

She wanted answers. Not having had any to help empty her mind, she took a deep breath and finally sat in the chair, giving an apologetic nod to her Professor.

Malfoy watched Hermione reluctantly sit down. Having her know he was in the castle seemed like a very bad idea.

"Now Mr. Malfoy". McGonagall was gesturing him toward the chair.

Mumbling a few choice profanities under his breath, he too finally took a seat.

"Thank you" the older witch nodded. "Now we can get started."

"Miss Granger, I know you're eager to get to the Burrow. I want to thank you for staying and helping me make sure all the students made it home safely."

McGonagall gave her a warm smile, helping her temper to subside a little.

"I'm sure you have a lot of questions though, not from just last night, but as to why I have called you here." She paused. "And why Mr. Malfoy has also joined us."

Hermione noticed a slight hesitation in her voice. Hearing her professor waver always made her nerves start. She tucked her loose curl behind her ear, needing to do something with her hands.

She looked over at Malfoy. He didn't look nervous or interested in what McGonagall was saying. No . He just sat there, looking almost bored, his arms folded over his chest.

 _How typical._

"First, I need to explain a few things to you Hermione." She was looking at the young witch with an almost imploring expression. "It's no secret how you and your friends feel about Professor Snape, or Mr. Malfoy for that matter."

Draco made a deriding noise in his throat, causing Hermione to bite down harder this time on her tongue. Her anger towards him was starting to fester in the pit of her stomach again.

"Believe me, the feeling's mutual." Draco shot both the witches a foul stare. He could see Hermione's cheeks flush with anger again. He felt the corner of his lip twitch, but hid his pleasure.

Hermione's heart was beating faster, the anger was in her throat trying to escape again. She was about to speak when she was cut off by McGonagall.

" _Enough_." The older witch spat. She could feel her fatigue starting to weight on her words. "I suggest that you learn when to hold your tongue Mr. Malfoy. You are not helping me build a case for you."

Draco rolled his eyes, turning his head to look out the window. He watched the drops of rain hit hard against the glass. Somewhere off in the distance he could hear thunder. Each rumble was becoming closer and closer.

He started anxiously tapping his finger against his knee. _Why should I give a damn about what she thinks about me?_

Hermione swallowed her words. They tasted like fire, but she knew she had to rise above, be the mature one. She folded her shaky hands together and placed them in her lap.

 _Merlin, he sure knows how to piss me off._

"Like I was saying," McGonagall spoke turning back towards Hermione. "I know you're feelings on this matter. But I need you to hear me out."

She gave her Professor a curious expression. "Alright."

"I won't go into too much detail, time won't allow that right now. But I need you to understand that Professor Snape is still a spy for the Order-"

"He killed Professor Dumbledore." Hermione's mouth went dry. Her temper was becoming harder to control. "There's no way that's possible." She could feel the tears welling behind her eyes, but she held them in. She griped her hands a little harder together.

Malfoy turned from the window, noticing the look of sorrow that filled both their eyes. He shifted slightly in his chair. This made him uncomfortable.

He knew he was partially to blame for the man's death. A man that risked his life to spare his, a man he hardly knew and had once thought to try and kill. This thought made him even more uncomfortable. He turned back towards the window.

McGonagall gave a dejected sigh. "I know he did. But I can assure you he is. Professor Snape and Professor Dumbledore came to me a few months ago. They told me that Draco had been given a mission. A mission which was really like an ultimatum."

Hermione's memories of what she overheard last night came flooding back. She remembered that neither of them knew what she had overheard or her own encounter with Snape.

"Draco was to find a way to kill Professor Dumbledore. If he didn't, Voldemort threatened to kill him."

Hermione let those words sink into her brain. _So Draco hadn't been lying last night_.

Her fingers were fidgeting in her lap. She was looking at the back of Malfoy's blonde head, wondering what it must have felt like to be put in a situation like that. But she did know, or at least she saw. That look on his face last night said it all. Fear, vulnerability, panic, even remorse was there. As McGonagall kept explaining, more and more pieces of the puzzle that were floating around her brain started to fit together. She was starting to see the whole picture.

Draco didn't dare turn around. He knew he would be met with either pity or disgust in their eyes and he couldn't stand the thought of either. Hearing McGonagall talk about the last year of his life was hard enough.

"Hermione, Professor Dumbledore wanted to save Draco from such a horrible fate. You know what killing another human being does to one's soul. Professor Dumbledore knew what his actions would bring."

"But why did Professor Snape-"

"Because Professor Snape still had to go through with the plan. He had to keep acting the part of a Death Eater and by killing Professor Dumbledore, it sealed his standing with Voldemort." McGonagall gave the young witch a solemn look.

"Miss Granger, Professor Dumbledore was dying of a curse he obtained earlier this year. He wouldn't tell me what had happened to him, but he only had a few more months to live. He just wanted his death to be on his terms, to help just one more student find his way in this world."

Hermione's heart was in her throat. Her wide, amber eyes were glossed with tears. Although the words stung at her ears, everything was starting to make sense. She thought about letting her know about what she heard last night, but she was having a hard time forming words at the moment. All she could do was listen as tears spilled down her cheeks.

Draco shut his eyes tightly, his finger still tapping away at his knee when his forearm suddenly started to burn. He slightly parted his lids to glance down, knowing what was causing his pain, hiding underneath his sleeve.

 _Everyone is probably being summoned to begin the hunt for my head. I bet dear old dad will be more than happy to lead the charge._

Giving a slight wince, he had had enough of hearing about his past. He didn't want to relive last night's events anymore.

"Why does she need to know all this" he spat.

He turned around to look at the two witches, noticing the tears that had found their way down Hermione's face. Usually he liked seeing her riled up, but not this. He didn't know how to handle his own grief, let alone hers.

Malfoy's harsh voice made Hermione slightly jump. She lifted her sleeve to wipe her cheeks, taking in a deep breath to help steady herself.

"I must ask for your understanding now Mr. Malfoy."

The old witch was speaking to Draco, but refused to face him. He had a feeling what she was about to say would not go over well with him.

He didn't respond. He just kept eyeing the witch with a pit in his stomach and his heart beat rapidly increasing.

"I have been working on setting up a safe house for you, but it won't be ready for another few days..."

He didn't like where this was headed. McGonagall was definitely avoiding his stare on purpose. His could feel his blood beginning to boil with uneasiness. His brow started to furrow as his finger began to tap a little quicker.

"So until it is ready" she said pausing. "You will be traveling with Miss Granger to the Burrow-"

" _Like hell I will_ " Draco stood from his seat almost knocking his chair over. McGonagall was finally looking at him with disapproving eyes. His anxiety had turned to anger.

Hermione's lips were slightly parted, her glossy eyes wide with astonishment. _What in Merlin's name is she thinking?_

"Professor, I don't understand" Hermione almost whispered, eyeing the look on Malfoy's face. She had a feeling if he had his wand, her desk would have been blasted into a thousand splitters by now.

"Why would he-"

"It's the safest place at the moment for him" McGonagall's voice sounded like she was trying to reassure them both, but it wasn't working.

"Safe?" Malfoy spat. "We will kill each other there, it's not possible for me to be in the same room with those two idiots let alone live with them-"

"Then I suggest you find a way Mr. Malfoy because this is your only option until the safe house is ready." McGonagall's tone was becoming firm and inpatient. "It is not safe for you to wait here. And really, it would be the last place Death Eaters would go looking for you."

Hermione just sat there, listening to the two verbally fight each other.

While it was certainly true about the Death Eaters, Hermione couldn't help but think Malfoy also had a point. Those boys could barley handle a class together without trying to kill one another. And even that was a challenge. Usually a professor was around to keep them at bay or she would be able to talk Harry and Ron out of a round with Malfoy before class was over. She understood their urge to want to teach Malfoy a lesson, but it was never worth giving into the temptation. But having them live together, even just for a few days, seemed like it would end in a blood bath.

Hermione shook her head, but held her tongue for the moment. She let Malfoy have his words with McGonagall first.

"This is not up for discussion Mr. Malfoy and don't make me have to tell you to watch your language again." McGonagall was in no mood for his tantrum.

Malfoy was seething, his body shaking. At some point he had started pacing around the room and was now standing next to the window. The cold from outside was radiating on to his sweltering skin. He gripped the window sill hard, causing a shooting pain from his hand to radiate up his arm. He ignored it.

 _This is fucking ridiculous. There's no way I'd make it in that hell hole they call a home. My chances are better leaving on my own then risking a fucking moment with those idiots._

The idea disgusted him, making him feel sick to his stomach. What made him feel more ill was the fact that he knew in all reality, being on his own could unfortunately actually kill him. He couldn't decide which was worse, death or living in a nightmare he couldn't wake from.

"You've been awfully quiet Miss Granger" McGonagall spoke.

Draco turned slightly to face Hermione.

She looked up at her Professor. Her glossy eyes had gone. Her brain was working too hard for having put it through hell the day before. She knew that it was probably a horrible idea putting them under the same roof, but at the same time a necessary evil if Malfoy wanted to stay hidden. To stay alive.

"How are you going to explain this to Harry and Ron" she inquired. "I have a feeling they will react something like Malfoy just did, but they will have their wands."

"I have already discussed everything with Mrs. Weasley. It took a lot of convincing, and my word he would behave. I may have even played to her motherly side, convincing her that there was a child in need of protection." McGonagall continued.

"I couldn't tell her everything, but I had to fill her in on a few things. She too does not want Professor Dumbledore's death to be for nothing. She is telling the boys about the situation as we speak." McGonagall looked back at Draco.

"And I did give her my word that you would behave yourself Mr. Malfoy."

"I wouldn't go making promises you can't keep" he snarled.

"You put one toe out of line there and I can promise you, you'll be on your own faster than you can say Salazar." Her look was almost deadly. "It's only for a few days. I am sure you can manage to find some level of maturity and realize that your problems with Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger are nothing compared to what you're facing now."

Draco glared at the old witch, wishing he had his wand. He re directed his anger to Hermione. He had far too much hostility in him still to let this matter go.

"You three better behave yourselves. I don't need you or your pathetic friends giving me any trouble." Draco watched as that burning red hue he loved causing flood Hermione's checks. She turned towards him, allowing him to see her rage fill her eyes. He caught himself before he could smirk.

Hermione was a little taken aback at Malfoy's outburst towards her. She had been more than tolerant of this idea and didn't need him making the inevitable any harder to swallow.

"I think it's _you_ who should behave himself Malfoy." She spoke with almost an authoritative tone. "From where I'm sitting, it seems like your next few days depends solely on you. Having food, shelter, protection, all comes with a price. If I were you, I'd rethink how you speak to me, and to everyone in that house for that matter."

She saw his lip twitch, wondering if he was about to say something, but decided against it. She really did love the feeling of having the last word.

Draco bit down on his tongue until he tasted iron.

 _Bitch_.

McGonagall let out a small sigh. She didn't have much faith in the boys to behave, but having Hermione around would hopefully be enough to put out their fires.

"Now," she spoke, "I have sent Dobby to alert Mrs. Weasley of your arrival. He should be back any moment now. He will Apparate the both of you to the Burrow. We can't trust the Floo Network anymore. Not after last night."

She rose from her desk, "I will have your belongings packed up for you Hermione and have them sent over to the Burrow as soon as I can."

Hermione nodded, glancing down at her bag. Most of her belongings were already with her, but McGonagall didn't need to know that.

She glimpsed back to Malfoy. He looked so different than how she had seen him last night. He didn't look like someone who had just battled with his conscious. His usually bite had resurfaced, but she wondered if it was an act. That look of vulnerability was etched in her mind and this facade he was now wearing would surely crumble. No one can hide that kind of pain she had seen for long.

Watching him angrily comb his fingers through his white blonde hair, her mind wandered dangerously for just a moment.

She would be the first to admit to anyone who asked that Malfoy was a pretentious prick who could stand to learn a few things about justice and how blood purity has nothing to do with it. But, the one thing she could never admit to anyone but herself was, although he had his faults, he wasn't too bad to look at.

Before she could scold herself for such a thought, McGonagall broke her trance.

"I almost forgot Miss Granger" she opened her desk draw, reaching in and taking out what appeared to be a package wrapped in a simple, cream colored parchment tied with twine. She handed it to Hermione.

She reached out, taking the parcel from McGonagall. It felt heavy. She looked at it for a moment before speaking.

"Professor?"

"Professor Dumbledore gave this to me a few weeks ago. He told me if anything were to happen to him, to give this to you. Well actually, to Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley and yourself." She gave the witch a sympathetic smile. "I believe there is something in there for each of you."

Hermione's heart skipped several beats as her mind went numb.

"If you could give Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley their package once you reach the Burrow, I would very much appreciate it.

She didn't know what to say. Her brain had stopped working for the moment. Gripping the package, she could feel fresh, hot tears spill over her cheeks. She simply nodded.

Malfoy watched her tears roll down her face and reach her chin before turning away. Grief really did make him feel too uncomfortable. He needed to change the subject.

"Can I have my wand back now?" he asked.

McGonagall hesitated for a moment before handing her students back their wands. "Remember Mr. Malfoy, one toe and-"

"Yeah yeah," he said as he grabbed his wand from her hands, "I don't need the lecture again."

Hermione held the package for a moment before reaching for her wand. She placed it back inside her robes, wiping her eyes as she did. All she wanted now was to be at the Burrow with her friends. Everything that had happened was starting to catch up to her and she needed them, desperately.

"Now," McGonagall spoke, "let's hope Dobby isn't too much longer. I'm sure you're ready to leave for the Burrow."

 _More than you know._

* * *

Over thirty minutes had past, and still no sign of Dobby. McGonagall was pacing in her office, her face etched with concern. Draco was leaning against the window. The thunder had now brought lightning with it, casting foreboding shadows across the castle grounds. Hermione still hadn't moved from her chair. She was still tightly gripping the parcel from Dumbledore in her hands.

"I thought you said he was going to be here soon?" Draco questioned.

He was growing impatient. He wanted to get the painful process of seeing the dim witted duo out of the way.

McGonagall walked behind her desk, placing her hands on top of it. "Yes," she muttered. "He should have been back by now." She was worried, something wasn't right.

"I'd bet you five Galleons he just got himself lost" Malfoy sneered. "I told my father it was no real loss when Potter tricked him second year. He was a lousy House Elf, always making mistakes. I swear, it'd take him hours to bring me a cup of tea."

Hermione felt her lips curl into something that resembled a smile. She thought to herself it was probably because Dobby was always sneaking off to warn Harry about something. Her pleasant thought was interrupted when a small popping sound filled the room.

She looked up from the package, feeling relieved that her friend had finally come back. But her eased mind suddenly turned to panic when she saw the look of horror on Dobby's face.

McGonagall quickly spoke first, "What is it, what happened." She came from around her desk, offering him a steady hand.

"Dobby, Dobby went to the house, just like Miss asked." The house elf was shaking his head, tightly clutching his hands together. "When Dobby got there, it was, confusion.. disorder."

Hermione stood up from the chair so quickly she dropped the present on the ground, landing next to her bag.

"What do you mean?" Her eyes widened, her heart felt like it was trying to burst from her chest.

"There were Death Eaters, everywhere. Dobby hid outside for a while, trying to see if he could find Harry Potter and Wheezy, but they had gone-"

"Gone?" Hermione stammered. "What do you mean gone? Where did they go?"

"I do not know Miss, Dobby looked and looked and they weren't there. The Death Eaters were looking for thems too, but they couldn't find them either." His big, round eyes looked up at her. "Dobby tired to help, but was too late."

Hermione collapsed onto the floor. Her world was spinning and she couldn't tell which way was up. She buried her face into her hands. Her best friends were now missing and had almost been captured by Death Eaters.

McGonagall stood up. "Dobby, the rest of the family, are they alright?"

Dobby slowly nodded. "He thinks so. They were questioning them though when Dobby left. Asking them if they had seen Harry Potter and something about Wheezy being ill upstairs. I went to look for him there, but that wasn't hims up there no no no." The elf was shaking his head violently.

"My old master was even there. Dobby had to make sure he was not seen. He knows Dobby is friends with Harry Potter."

Draco quickly turned to face the elf.

 _Looks like the old man has no problem carrying on with the family business knowing his son has a death warrant on his head. Fucking prick._

But then he remembered how his Mark had burned just a little while ago. This must have been the cause for it. Gathering everyone together to go on a hunt for Potter, not him. This thought made his feel slightly better.

The young witch still sat on the floor, her hands covering her damp face. Her tears were pooling in her shaking palms. She had told them to go to the Burrow, she told them it would be safer than staying here. She hated herself at the moment.

"Hermione," McGonagall turned to her. "At least we know they made it out. They didn't catch them." She settled her hand on the trembling witch.

"Dobby," she said. "Would you mind giving us a moment. I need to discuss a few things with these two about what will happen next." She gave the house elf a look of appreciation. "Thank you for everything."

The house elf nodded and in an instant was gone.

"We'll have to figure out-"

McGonagall's words were cut off by a low, unwavering whistle that was starting to fill the room. She looked around, trying to figure out the source of the noise.

"What the bloody hell is that?" Draco was always scanning the room. The hair on the back of his neck was sticking up.

It was Hermione's soft voice that made him twitch.

"It.." she whispered through her tears. "I think it's my Sneakoscope... but that's impossible." She turned to look at her purple bag. The muffled noise was becoming louder and louder.

A loud crash somewhere outside in the hallway made all three of them jump. McGonagall quickly ran to her desk.

"Shit" Draco hissed through his teeth. Panic was filling his whole body. This was it. He had one extra night of life and that's all he was allowed.

Hermione reached for her bag, shoving the package from Dumbledore quickly inside of it. She started to reach for her wand when McGonagall's worried voice made her pause.

"Hurry you two" she opened a drawer, taking out a small, yellow teacup. She shoved it into Hermione's hand.

"It's an emergency port key. Activate it, I won't be able to hold them for long." She looked at her two students with fear in her eyes.

"You have to go, now!" Grabbing her wand, she opened her office door and was gone.

Hermione and Draco looked at each other, listening to the sounds of hexes ricocheting off the stone walls.

Draco felt like time had stopped. Everything around him was moving in slow motion. He had known that running probably only prolonged his life just for a little while. He was sure the Dark Lord would have eventually found him, but not this soon.

Hermione was yelling at Malfoy to snap out of it, telling him to grab his bag. When he still wouldn't move, she picked it up for him, shoving it into hers.

"Malfoy! We have to go!"

She was trying to remain in control of herself, but fear has a nasty habit of taking over, to try and paralyze its victim.

Another loud bang shook Draco out of his trance. He could hear Hermione's screams now.

Before his brain could process them, Hermione's warm, quivering hand was tightly grasping his arm.

She had activated the port key and in an instant, Draco could feel his whole body being pulled backwards. For just a moment, he could see nothing. Nothing but darkness.

* * *

Note: I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! I'm really excited to start taking them on their journey together and getting into their relationship.

Next chapter should be up in another week or so!

 _Toujours_.


	4. Chapter 4: Unexpected

**Wounded**

Chapter 4: Unexpected

Draco could detect the smell of wet grass and soil before his eyes started to adjust to his surroundings. Cold, hard rain drops were being pelted against his skin like hundreds of needles, stabbing him all at once.

He was kneeling in the grass, clutching the blades for balance as he looked around. The rain was coming down heavy and the sky was pitch black. He could hardly see anything in front of him. The only source of light was coming from the frequent strikes of lightning, illuminating the scene for mere seconds. He finally was able to see Hermione standing just a few arm lengths away.

Hermione was finding it difficult to breath as she grasped the port key in her trembling hands. She was frozen there, feeling her blood turn to ice as it coursed through her veins. Allowing her eyes to dilate, the darkness began to creep in. Her thick, auburn curls were being plastered against her face. A loud crack of thunder caused her to jump, loosening her hold on the cup. It fell from her hands with a soft thud on the sodden ground. She heard Malfoy's cold voice cut through the suffocating night air.

"What the fuck am I suppose to do now?" He was starting to shiver, unable to control his teeth from chattering.

"And where the hell did that old bat send us?"

Hermione turn to face Malfoy, finding it hard to make out his silhouette through the rain. With each flash of lighting, she tried to establish some sort of bearings. Somewhere off in the distance, she could hear the turbulent splashing sounds of rain hitting water. The trees made it difficult to see past them, but she was able to make out a few dark houses off in the distance. From what she could tell, they looked deserted, even rundown.

Draco stood himself up as he reached for his fallen wand that laid next to him. He pushed back his silvery, wet hair from his face, trying to think of what the hell to do next. But he had nothing. No idea where he was, no shelter, no clothes, no food, nothing. Except his wand. And her.

 _Damn this doesn't look good_.

Hermione was trying to come up with a plan, she needed a plan. She had no idea where McGonagall had sent them and it seemed like they were now completely on their own. She sensed that no help was coming for them, not in this place. There was nothing and no one here for them but a few lifeless, vandalized houses and the realization that they were now truly alone.

The cold rain had fully soaked through her clothes now, making her long for warmth. Terror was starting to invade her body, numbing as it spread.

Draco was starting to become impatient. "Granger, are you trying to ignore me?" He pushed back his hair again, eyeing her with confusion.

He spoke more forcefully, "Granger!"

She shuttered, realizing she was visibly trembling now. Partially due to the cold, but mainly because fear had fully swallowed her whole.

"I.. I don't know" she whispered. " We need to come up with a plan-"

"We?" Draco mockingly questioned. "You really think that I plan on being stuck with you now?"

She stared at him, wondering to herself why she had actually said 'we'. Did she really plan to be on the run with him? He was far from her first choice, doubting he would even make her top one hundred. Maybe it was on accident she had said it, or maybe it was the very real fear that being entirely alone terrified her at the moment.

"It's not like I'm too happy about this arrangement either. But I don't think you have realized yet that you could actually use my help." She gripped her beaded handbag, thankful that she had spent all night preparing for the worst. She just didn't realize it'd come this soon.

Draco let off a scoff, giving his words a bit of bite to them as he spoke. "Like hell. Why would I ever want help from you?"

Another clash of lighting allowed him to notice the fear that had settled upon her face. He couldn't ever remember a time where he had seen her this frightened and for some reason it was unsettling.

She was trying to will her voice to sound steady. "Do you even have any idea where you would go, a plan on how to stay hidden? You are wanted by Voldemort and probably have Death Eaters out looking for you as we speak."

As she spoke, she still wasn't quite sure staying together was the right choice, but the fear of complete solitude was still at the back of her mind.

In truth Draco had no idea what his next steps would be. There was no where really for him to go at this point. His whole body was begging to be warm again, making it hard for him to think. He did know he had to keep moving though, or Death Eaters could eventually catch up to him. But finding a place out of the rain was his first priority. Somewhere he could dry off and be able to gather his thoughts.

"I still don't see why I would want your help. You too have nowhere to go, no food, no shelter. How could you possibly help me?"

He was becoming frustrated. Usually he liked arguing with her, but this time was different. This time he wasn't doing it for fun or to watch her cheeks flush with fury. He just wanted to leave, to escape and to just be alone. To run not only from Death Eaters, but from his own monsters. All hope had escaped him now. His one chance for protection had been taken away.

The freezing blood that was coursing through his veins was beginning to thaw. He was becoming angry, not particularly at her, but because he had let himself hope.

He was tired, hungry and hopeless again and she the only thing around to take his frustration out on. His soaking wet clothes were starting to weight down on his already tired body.

"My whole life, all you and your pathetic friends have ever done is make my life harder. Always fucking getting in the way, always giving my shitty father a reason to keep his family tied up with this war. Nothing good has ever come from my life thanks to you three.."

His temper was clouding his judgment and his voice was over powering the loud rumbles of thunder overhead. He felt the need to inflict his pain on to others, on to her. But the next few words slipped past his teeth before he could stop them. "What could a Mudblood like you possible have to offer me."

The air in Draco's lungs was leaving, but nothing was coming back to fill them. The complete silence that had fallen between them was almost deafening. He hated those words before he had even spoken them. What he hated more was the look on her face he saw with the next flash of lightening. There were those flushed cheeks and fury filled eyes he liked so much, but not this time. For the first time, he actually hated seeing them.

Months ago, he started to realize that everything he had been taught was misguided and corrupt. To have been taught that blood status was worth killing over seemed insane. His world had began to crumble around him, knowing that his whole life had lead him down this dark path was eating away at him. Physically and mentally. The thought of killing had scared Draco out of that black, suffocating abyss. The only problem then became finding a way to stay afloat, to stay alive.

Another flash of lightning came. Although he couldn't prove it, he had a feeling not all those glistening drops that clung to her face were from rain. He could see the hatred welling in her eyes.

"You may not want my help, or for that matter deserve it, but you sure as hell need it." Her tone was becoming sharp, pricking her tongue as the words jumped off it.

"I doubt you have ever needed to protect yourself in your entire life. Living behind those high, white marble walls, having mum and dad around to always help you whenever you needed it. Throwing their money at problems may have worked for you before, but if you haven't noticed, you don't have shit."

She was practically yelling at him now, feeling his warm breath on her chilled cheeks as she stepped closer to him. The heat she felt radiating off of him only fueled her fire.

"You wouldn't last a day out there on your own. No one to cook for you, no one to make sure you're safe and have a roof over your egotistical, prejudice head at night. Seeing as how you had to go to McGonagall for help, I'm guessing you have no where or no one to run to. I suggest that you learn very quickly what your actually options are here and to not dismiss them so carelessly. Even if it's offered by a 'Mudblood' like me."

Hermione was consumed by her rage. The ice that had ran through her veins had been replaced by fire. He hadn't called her that in months and she had forgotten how it infuriated her. She had half a mind to Apparate on the spot, leaving him there alone to fend for himself. Why should she offer her resources to someone who thinks so low of her? Being alone was seeming more and more appealing if this was what she was going to have to put up with.

Her fingers were itching for her wand, wanting to send hexes flying in all directions towards him. The temptation was becoming too great to resist.

Draco hating hearing that word come out of her mouth. Such language didn't suit her. He knew he deserved some type of retaliation, but his ego was having a hard time handling it. Although he knew he was more than skilled at most subjects, his knowledge on protective and concealment charms was a little lacking. And he didn't need a reminder. The one thing he would not stand for though, was someone talking about his home life as if they knew anything about it.

"I'd watch what you say Granger, your temper could land you in a place you wouldn't dare want to go with me." He was trying to steady himself, but his anger still had a hold on him.

His threatening tone was the last straw for Hermione. Her eager fingers reached for her wand, but this time Draco was quicker.

He grabbed her wrist, pulling her just a little bit closer to his face than she already was. He could feel some of her loose, wet curls graze his chin as he lowered his head to whisper in her ear.

"I let you pull that shit on me once Granger, but don't you dare think I will let it happen again." Her skin felt like ice under his hand. Her rapid breathing was grazing his neck, sending the hairs on the back to stand on end.

Hermione was caught off guard. His sharp, raspy breath brushed against her ears like sandpaper, causing her heart to pound with violent force. His grip was as strong as his words, allowing panic to rise in her chest.

"What do you think you're doing?" She tried to pull away, but he wouldn't allow it, pulling her even closer.

He could hear the fear in her voice, knowing that his actions were the cause. He was alright being the one to elicited hostility, annoyance or even rage from her. But for some reason, he wasn't wanting to be the one to elicit fear. Fear was its own type of monster he had the pleasure of knowing all too well. He would be damned if he was the cause of her monster.

"Listen," he said. "I have no intentions of harming you, but I wasn't about to let you use your wand on me. You forced my hand here."

Hermione listened to his words. Her heart was still racing, but somehow his tone was oddly reassuring. She had been the one to reach for her wand first and instead of him doing the same, he only tried to stop her.

His grip began to loosen as he talked. The heat coming from his hand and his chest was starting to become dangerously needed by her body. She could barely feel her fingers at this point and was sure if she tried to walk her legs would snap in half. Caution was telling her to pull away, but the need for the cold to be driven away was making it difficult.

Before she could try to pull back again, the sound of twigs snapping behind her made her body go ridged. A distinct low, oily voice came from behind the trees.

"Well now, this is definitely unexpected."

* * *

Hermione's heart was in the pit of her stomach. Her whole body tensed as she whipped around, pulling away quickly from Malfoy's grasp. She would have known that voice anywhere. It would forever be burned in her brain as the man who never respected her, who always disregarded her and never gave her the credit she deserved. But most of all, even though she had been told he was still on their side, he would forever be the man who killed the greatest wizard she'd ever know.

 _"Snape_."

Draco could see the shrouded figure walking out from behind the trees. The lightning had died down, but he didn't need it to know who was walking towards them. He could feel Hermione slightly trembling still next to him, listening to her small gulps of air.

Snape spoke as if almost surprised, stopping just a few feet away from them. "I do suggest that if you are going to shout and fight like children, try and keep it down. You never know who could be around to hear."

"Just what the hell are you doing here" Draco asked. It was strange. The last time he had seen Snape, he had been practically falling apart at the seams, asking for his help. Seeing him now felt a little awkward.

Hermione wanted to punch him, hard. Straight into his pointy nose. Logically she understood what McGonagall had told her, but logic had no part in her feelings at the moment. All she felt was pure hatred toward the man. It was taking everything she had left in her to control her urge.

Snape stared at them for a moment with hooded eyes. He then slowly turned and started walking toward the desolated houses. "Like I said, you never know who could be listening. Follow me."

Draco watched as Snape started to walk away. The prospect of getting out of the rain was more than enough for him to follow. When he realized Hermione wasn't doing the same, he stopped his stride, but didn't look back.

Sighing, he asked "Are you coming? Or do you insist on always making situations more difficult?"

Hermione was still struggling to keep her anger under control. She kept having to remind herself of what McGonagall had said.

 _He's on our side, Dumbledore knew. He's on our side, Dumbledore knew... he knew_.

Draco was grinding his teeth, waiting on her to make some sort of movement. The rain had started to lessen, but the darkness seemed to have grown thicker. The wind was whipping at his face, making the cold that much more unbearable. He was about to leave her there when finally he heard the soft crunching of leaves and twigs coming up behind him.

"Took long enough-"

"Shut it Malfoy, not now." Hermione held out her wand in front of her and whispered a soft _Lumos_. She was in no mood for his antics. Not when she had other matters to deal with. Snape being here was strange enough. Answers were a rarity lately and she had had just about enough of being in the dark.

The two of them walked through the trees, keeping their eyes and ears on alert. They hadn't even thought about the possibility that someone could be hidden amongst the darkness. Hermione felt a little foolish about that, but under the circumstances she quickly forgave herself.

The houses were coming into a better view now, noticing the sound of rushing water close by. The old, brick houses were falling apart. Their windows had been boarded up and the doors were nearly off their hinges. The vegetation had almost completely devoured the first floors, twisting their way up to start on the second. The dirt road they were walking on had turned thick with mud, making it hard to catch up to the dark figure ahead of them.

Hermione felt uneasy, the strange surroundings were putting her on edge. The houses looked like they haven't been lived in years, giving off almost a haunted atmosphere. They may not have been occupied, but it still felt dangerous to be here.

Draco kept his wand gripped tightly in his hand, ready to use it if needed. The pain from his knuckles was still there, but had become more of a dull and constant one. As he rounded the corner, a small two story house stood at the end of the road. Although it looked unlived it, it certainly was better off than the few houses they had just passed.

Snape spoke in small whispers as he took the last few steps up to the front door. He opened it ever so slightly and waited for his two students to catch up. Looking around to make sure they hadn't been followed, he waved his wand and a few candles just inside the door produced a soft glow.

Hermione looked up at the old house, trying to figure out just where they could be. She glanced at the cracked mailbox as she passed it which only gave her a name. The numbers had been rubbed away years ago.

"Spinner's End" she muttered. The name didn't ring any bells for her. She followed behind Malfoy as he went up the broken stone steps.

They slipped past Snape and made their way into the house, listening to the heavy door shut behind them.

Hermione took a few steps into the room. The light from the candles was minimal, but the room was small enough that it reached almost every corner. They were standing in a sitting room, accompanied only by a few old pieces of furniture. The smell of aged ink and paper filled the space. Dust was being carried through the air as they walked deeper into the room. It seemed like no one had lived here in quite some time.

 _Where in Merlin's name are we?_

Looking over at Malfoy, she was at least grateful she wasn't alone. Even though she would never choose him as a companion, being by herself seemed much worse at the moment.

Draco surveyed the room as he welcomed the feeling of being out of the rain. His clothes were leaving puddles on the faded carpet. He turned to face Snape who was still standing next to the door.

"So are you going to tell us what the bloody hell is going on? Why are you here and just where exactly are we?" His teeth we still chattering, but the feeling in his fingers was trying to return.

"I see you have gained back some of your _delightful_ charm Mr. Malfoy." Snape took a step closer as he took off his cloak. "The where is none of your concern and as to the why it is my business. I believe it is you who should fill me in on what is going on. When I heard screaming outside, you two were the last people I thought I would find."

The frozen, blonde wizard had no idea what to say. One moment he was about to leave to some hell hole that had held some small amount of prospect and then the next minute he was standing in the dark, freezing rain with no hope left at all.

Snape looked over at Hermione. "You seem to always be blabbering on about something, how about you tell me then. It seems Mr. Malfoy has lost the ability to speak."

Hermione's hatred towards him was still festering underneath her skin. She wanted nothing more than to scream at him, hex him, make him understand what an terrible, unforgivable, evil thing he had done.

 _He knew... He really knew..._

This thought was the only thing keeping her sane, grounded to reality. She took a deep, shaking breath before speaking to him.

"We were supposed to be going to the Burrow when Dobby informed us that Death Eaters had gone there to look for Harry." She stared into his cold, black eyes, waiting for some type of response.

"Why were you not already there Miss Granger? Professor McGonagall had told me that she was to remove Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley and yourself from the castle once everything was set in motion." He eyed her suspiciously.

Still trying to control her anger, she took another shaky breath. "I stayed behind, to help Professor McGonagall with making sure everyone was sent home safely."

He let off a mocking chuckle, slightly grinning. "Always having to play the hero aren't you?" He cut her off before she was able to retort.

Draco couldn't help himself and let off a small laugh, hiding it to himself

"And that brings me back to you Mr. Malfoy" turning to meet the young wizards eyes.

He met Snape's stare, unafraid by its need to intimidate.

"What about me? I was suppose to go with her to that sodding hole they call a home-"

" _Burrow_ " Hermione hissed.

The candles were barely lighting the room, but he couldn't mistake those rosy tinted cheeks that he knew so well. The corners of his lips twitched, but he carried on.

"McGonagall said the safe house wouldn't be ready for a few days so I was suppose to wait there until it was. That sodding house-elf finally came back to tell us what happened and it was only a few minute later when the Death Eaters were in the castle. That's when McGonagall gave us the port key and it took us here."

The soft sounds of rain were filling the room. Snape didn't acknowledge his words until a few, long moments had passed.

"I see" Snape finally said. "I will have to thank Professor McGonagall next time I see her for sending you both in her place." The sarcasm was practically dripping off his every word. "I am assuming they didn't find Mr. Potter then at the Burrow?"

Hermione was confused. Had he not known about the Death Eaters plan? Her temper was starting to take over, her words were taking what little heat she had left in her body.

"I thought the whole point of you being the one to kill Professor Dumbledore was to seal your standing with Voldemort? And now it seems you have no idea of their plans? What good are you if you don't even know what they are doing-"

"Miss Granger" he spat. "I would advise you to keep your mouth _shut_ on matters you have no knowledge on. I know you like to think you are a pretentious little know it all, but I can assure you that there are a great many things in this world you have yet to learn."

He was staring her down. She could feel his words slicing away at her raw skin.

"Not that it is any of your concern, but I had been asked to lay low for a few days before returning to Hogwarts. I do not question the Dark Lords orders and I may not be told everything. But I can assure you that I was more than rewarded for my efforts from the other night. Others were not as fortunate as myself."

Draco's whole body stiffened at those words. He knew what Snape meant. "My mother," he quickly said. "What did he do to my mother?"

Snape didn't turn to face Malfoy. He kept his gaze directly on Hermione when he spoke in a quiet voice.

"He was angry. Very angry. Your father received most of the punishment, but your mother unfortunately was caught in the cross hairs. I was able to help her before he went too far." He paused for a moment. She will be alright Mr. Malfoy."

Draco wanted to scream, to break anything and everything in sight. He knew that running would put his mother in harm's way, but the reality of it hurt so much worse.

 _I bet my loving father didn't do a damn thing to help her either_.

Hermione watched Malfoy's face cloud with disgust. She was wondering if it was towards Voldemort, or maybe even towards himself. The tension in the room was so overwhelming, it seemed to be making the room grow darker.

Snape's voice finally broke the silence. "Where do you two plan on going?"

Hermione still had no idea. Her first thought was to find Harry and Ron, but had no idea where to even begin looking.

"We haven't really been able to figure that out just yet." She thought to herself for a moment, watching her professor's face. Most was hidden by shadows created by the candles, but she thought she could see that he was deep in thought as well.

One question had been weighing on her mind since the second they had landed in that ominous forest. She was only hoping that Snape would be able to answer it for her.

"Professor, why did Professor McGonagall have a port key to this place?" Her voice was soft, but determined. Determined for an answer.

Snape eyed the witch with cold, calculating eyes. "As I have said before Miss Granger, it is none of your concern."

"Isn't it?" Her voice was becoming impatient, balling her fists at her side. "There has to be a reason she sent us here, a reason why she thought it would be safe enough for us to come."

Draco's mind was still racing. All he could think about was his mother and how his selfish actions had brought pain upon her. If he had a chance to run, she deserved one as well. He would just need to figure out how to help her.

Hermione was beginning to yell. "And why are you here? Of all the place that port key could have taken us, it took us here, to where you just happened to be. What exactly is going on?"

Snape curled his lip. He refused to be talked to in such a manner. "Control your temper Miss Granger or I will be forced to control it for you."

He was standing over her now, unable to see the bottom of his black, cavernous eyes. She couldn't feel heat coming off of him like she had with Malfoy. Only the bitter chill from his words brushed his skin.

Their intense words had caught Malfoy's attention now. He watched Hermione, noticing how very uncomfortable she looked. He agreed with her statement that there must be a reason for McGonagall having a port key to this location. But she was foolish for asking Snape about it in such an abrasive manner.

 _Not everyone can stand your venom Granger. Five points from Gryffindor_.

He gave himself a small smirk.

Snape took a few steps back, satisfied he had managed to invoke some sort of terror in her. "Now, I am only assuming, but I can safely guess that Professor McGonagall gave you that port key because she knew I would be here. And she also probably thought that I would be able to provide you with some type of shelter here."

Draco jaw tightened, "Can you?" He knew better than to have too much hope left in the world. But even if it was just for one night, it was more than then had at the moment.

"A few people know about this house. A few of the wrong people to be more exact. They know I am hiding out here and it isn't safe in case they decide to drop by." Snape turned to face Malfoy now, noticing the look of disappointment on his face.

Snape hesitated for a moment, carefully considering what he was about to offer. "However," he said. "I was suppose to go back to the castle in the next day or so to look over the new changes that will be placed on Hogwarts from the Ministry-"

"Changes? What changes and why are you the one looking over them?" Hermione's stomach was churning.

"Because," he said pausing. "You are looking at the new Headmaster."

Hermione thought she was going to be sick. She wanted to cry, she wanted to scream, but she had nothing left in her. Nothing but emptiness. The strength she had left inside her would only allow her to stare back at him with sadness in her eyes.

"As I was saying," Snape said. "The Dark Lord requested me back at the castle soon anyways. I could perhaps go back tonight instead and you two could stay. If I am not here, there wouldn't be any reason for anyone to come by the house. But I must warn you, it still won't be completely safe and it is certainly not permanent. Only until we can find a different solution."

Safe or not, it was a plan and Draco was more than willing to accept. His body was just about to give out on him and his mind and long since checked out. Thinking of a better solution would be impossible for him tonight.

His damp back hit the wall as he slid down to the floor. Finally knowing he had some type of shelter for the night allowed his body crumble. His clothes were still soaked and his muscles ached, but he didn't care. He was so exhausted he could have drifted off right there.

Hermione wanted to object. She had no idea where she was at and if Death Eaters knew of its location it seemed like a very bad idea to stay here. But her will to protest was fleeting and she could feel her body begging her to stay and rest.

She watched Draco as he fell to the floor looking utterly relieved. She guessed he felt almost the same as she did and his body was winning the argument over reason too. Shaking her head, she combed her tingling fingers through her drenched, loose curls.

Draco looked up, watching her for just a moment as she let her remaining pinned curls down. They fell just below her shoulders, a few of them sticking to her damp skin as they did. He noticed a few drops of water glide down her cheek, making their way down her neck. He knew better than to stare this long at her, but at the moment, his tired mind had no recollection of time.

Hermione may have been oblivious to her observer, but Snape was not. Narrowing his eyes at the wizard, he audibly cleared his throat before speaking.

"Wait here while I gather a few things. And please, don't _touch_ anything until I come back. Only look." He stared at Draco, glancing over to Hermione before shuffling off into the next room.

Draco furrowed his brow, softly whispering "Prick".

The witch began to look more closely around the room as she took a seat on a faded mauve armchair. The room was covered from floor to ceiling with old, leather bound books. The walls were bare. No photos or paintings were hung on them. She wondered who could have lived here at one time.

As she scanned the room, she did notice a worn, wooden table nestled in the opposite corner. On top of it sat a small, square, metal picture frame that had begun to rust at the corners. Curiosity drove her to stand up and walk over to investigate.

Draco noticed Hermione's sudden movement across the room. He eyed her as she picked up something from the table.

"He told us not to touch anything you know. I thought you of all people knew how to follow rules."

Hermione wasn't even listening. She held the picture in her hands as she took it all in. She knew it was taken with a muggle camera since the picture was still. It showed a boy, standing next to a large willow tree. He was dressed in a blue button up that was two sizes too big for him. His jet black hair looked untidy and he face bore a troubled expression.

She stared at this picture, feeling as though she was missing something when a small gasp escaped her mouth. The greasy, black hair. That long hooked nose and the same menacing stare he still uses to this day. She knew that stare all too well.

Snape entered the sitting room, his eyes landing directly on the young witch's back. He scowled, "I thought I said, no touching."

Hermione slowly turned to face the older version of the boy she had just been looking at. It was so obvious now.

"You" she whispered. "This, this house is.."

Snape gave her an almost spiteful smile. "Congratulations Miss Granger. You once again prove just how predictably intrusive you can be."

* * *

Note: Hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! Thank you guys for all of your support!

Next week is finals week so the next chapter may take a little longer to post (although I will probably need a way to procrastinate so maybe not :) )

 _Toujours._


	5. Chapter 5: Whiskey

**Wounded**

Chapter 5: Whiskey

Hermione stood rooted to the ground, still holding on to the aged picture. Her professor was still residing in the door frame looking particularly irritated as he waited for her response. The light from the candle was fading, which didn't help the young witch find any end to his cold, dark stare that was swallowing her up.

Although antagonized by his words, she forced herself to speak calmly. "I didn't mean to pry, but Professor, the boy in the picture.. it's you isn't it? And this house, it's your house correct?"

Draco's exhausted mind took a few moments to fully digest what Hermione was implying. The only description he had ever heard of Snape's house came from his Aunt Bellatrix when she had to visit on orders from the Dark Lord. And from what he could remember, she didn't speak too fondly of it. Always complaining on how filthy she felt on her return from that "festering cesspool of a village only fit for muggles".

 _Could this really be his home? Judging by his face, it does seem like Granger may have found out his little secret._

Snape looked as if he was going to tear that picture from her hands, taking a few fingers along with it. Draco shifted his eyes back and forth from the two as excitement began to build in him.

 _I do love a good argument._

Snape's voice was low as he spoke, flicking his tongue across his teeth before he did. "I hope to be around Miss Granger, when that insufferable curiosity of yours finally lands you in some serious trouble." He took a step towards her.

"But until that time, I suggest you put that back where you found it and take a seat." Turning, he began to walk towards the front door.

"Now, before I leave there are a few rules I must tell you about the house-"

"Are you really not going to answer?" she asked surprisingly.

With a long, irritated sigh, Snape began to raise his voice. "I know you have this _annoying_ habit of needing to be told you are correct, but I refuse to be a part of it. So seeing as how you know that you have already figured it out, why don't you put that picture back where you found it and just _sit_ down." He pointed to the small sitting chair where she had stood from.

Hermione was a bit taken aback by his words. She was about to protest to his insult when she was cut off.

" _Now_." Snape's voice was cold and forceful.

She didn't object, but the words still sat on her tongue as she resentfully walked back to the chair. Taking a seat, she grabbed her beaded bag that she had left behind. Crossing her legs, her foot began to fidget.

Draco could see her impatience growing on her face, and he was enjoying every second of it. Snape had managed to silence her for the moment, but she wouldn't last long. He knew this look well. The tapping of the feet. The way she bit the inside of her cheeks. Her inability to keep her hands still. All signs pointed to a witch trying to keep herself from speaking her mind. He sat up from the wall, resting his arms on his knees. His tired eyes were now focused on the restless, ticking time bomb that sat in front of him.

 _Five more points from Gryffindor._

"As I was saying," Snape said. "There are a few rules to staying here. The first is, don't leave this house. Don't go outside, don't even think about escaping before I come back, just stay here. I will have to talk to Professor McGonagall when everything has a chance to calm down and we are able to figure out where and how to send you both."

Hermione let off a quiet scoff. "Don't you think that is a bit obvious?"

Snape gave her a false smile. "You would think so Miss Granger, but I am talking to a third of the troublesome trio who seem to think they are always above the rules and are always finding themselves in trouble. I refuse to clean up your messes, so yes, I do find it necessary to tell you."

Hermione was biting her cheek so hard now it was becoming raw. Keeping her retaliation in was making her mouth taste bitter. If it wasn't for the fact that she was completely exhausted and her body was craving rest, she would have gladly gone a few verbal rounds with Snape. But the prospect of being able to lay down soon was keeping her words stuck in her throat.

The blonde wizard could feel a smile starting to form on his lips, but held it back deciding instead to finally speak. "What if someone comes poking around here?"

"I will make my change of living known to whom it may concern. There is a small muggle town just down the road, but the few who still live there will not be bothering you. If someone ever comes too close, all they will see is a broken down house and suddenly remember they forgot to turn off the stove." Snape picked up his cloak and reached for his travel bag.

"Now," he said. "There is enough food in the kitchen to get both of you by. The staircase to the left here will take you up to a few bedrooms and a bath. I would ask you not to be too intrusive, but I don't have high hopes for that." He shot Hermione a cold stare before looking at Draco.

"Mr. Malfoy," he paused. "I did promise you that I would try and help your mother as best I can. Try to not worry too much. The Dark Lord has moved on to other matters now besides your family. At least for the time being."

Draco's body went ridged again at the thought of his mother. He had been too busy watching a certain witch that he had distracted himself from the thought.

 _Maybe he has moved on, but my father certainly hasn't. Last I remember, he blamed her for raising such a useless son. I'm sure me being a traitor and a failure will be blamed on her as well_.

Clenching his jaw, he gave Snape a slight nod. He wanted to quickly move away from the subject.

Hermione noticed the change in Draco's demeanor. For a slight moment, she saw that same look of vulnerability and terror that she had seen the other night creep across his tired face. She watched with intrigue, never really experiencing this side to him before.

Snape cracked the door open, allowing the chill of the night air to crawl inside. "I will be back in a few days. Try not kill each other while I'm gone. I'd prefer not to have to clean up the mess when I return." He grabbed his belongings and disappeared with a soft bang of the door, leaving the tormented wizard and the inquisitive witch alone.

* * *

The rain was still softly hitting the windows as the growing silence filled the air. What little wick was left in the candles were flickering their last few moments of life. Hermione was still looking at Malfoy, wondering if she should be the one to speak first.

Her question was shortly answer when he caught sight of her stare. For some reason, his usual cold, grey eyes seemed to be unguarded. He almost looked like a different person, tragic almost. It took her by surprise, making her unable to look away.

Draco locked eyes with the witch, wondering what the hell she was staring at. "Is there something I can help you with Granger?" he snapped.

His voice snapped her out of her trance. "What? No, no I was just thinking about going up to bed." She rose from the chair, making her way to the stairs feeling a little foolish to have lingered on him for so long. Before she took the first step, she turned to face him again.

He noticed a slight blush to her skin. Not the same kind she usually wore during one of their arguments, but it was soft and subtle. She almost looked as if she was embarrassed, a little nervous even.

 _This is new_.

He watched Hermione reach into her purple bag, withdrawing his own that McGonagall had given him. His eyes widened in surprise.

"Where the hell did you get that? And how the bloody hell did it fit in there?"

Hermione was amused at his astonishment. Giving a little chuckle, she said "Taking a line from Snape, I will say that it is none of your business or concern right now. I just thought you may want it." She handed him his bag, noticing his still bruised hand as he grabbed it.

Before turning back to the stairs, she asked "You do know how to heal your hand don't you?"

Draco pushed himself off the floor, irritated by her question."Fuck Granger, you do know that you aren't the only one who does well at school right?"

Hermione narrowed her eyes at him. _There's the Malfoy I know_.

"I only asked because you have yet to do anything about it so I could only assume it's because you didn't know how. Now I see that it's just because you're being a stubborn arse like usual."

Her voice was sharp as she spoke. "And would it kill you to say thank you?" nodding her head towards his bag.

Rolling his eyes, he gave her a small shrug. "Probably."

With a sigh, she turned and continued up the steps. It was a narrow stair case leading up to an even narrower hallway. There were two doors on the left side, one on the right and one at the very end of the corridor. She took the first door on the left, relieved to find a small bedroom behind it.

She walked in and locked it behind her, listening to Malfoy's footsteps echo down the hallway. Hearing the door next to her room open and then shut, she figuring he had found the other bedroom.

 _He may be an arse, but it doesn't seem like he would try anything tonight. Not after everything we went through. He looked more exhausted than I am._

Still feeling a little unsure, she put a few of her own protective spells on the room just to be on the safe side. Waving her wand, the candles that sat in a low hanging chandelier began to flicker. Slipping off her shoes, she looked around the room. She saw a wooden, four post bed that seemed to have been weathered by time. There was also a small dresser tucked away in the corner along with a side table. She walked over and sat her bag down on top of it.

Opening her bag, she took out a change of clothes and a tiny jar. She opened it and used her wand to create a small, blue flame inside of it. Although the fire wasn't much, the small amount of heat radiating from it was a welcome change to the cold air that permeated the room. She sat it next to the bed as she began to rid herself of her wet clothes. She took off her robes and laid it on the dresser. Noticing her pleated skirt had been torn at some point, she lowered it off of her hips to examine her leg. A cut had began to clot on her inner thigh, leaving a small trial of blood down it.

"Bollocks."

Grabbing her wand, she began to use a healing charm to clean it up. It burned slightly, but only for a moment when a soothing tingling sensation followed. Once she was satisfied with the wound, she began to unbutton her top. With each button, she began to realize how truly tired she was. When the last button was finally done, she slipped of her shirt and pulled on an over sized crimson colored sweater her father had given her one year as a child for her birthday. It was by far her favorite and she always wore it when she was feeling homesick or frightened. Tonight it was both.

Hermione pulled back the tattered quilt and slipped underneath it. The sheets felt cold against the skin of her bare legs causing her to shiver. She pulled her sweater slightly over her face to help trap in her heat. The slight smell of pine still lingered on the collar reminding her of home. Closing her eyes, her brain began to wander. She started thinking of the day's events and wondering where her two best friends could possibly be. She would give anything to be with them right now, to be able to talk to them and to not feel so alone.

Tears began to form inside her closed lids, but she didn't dare open them to let them out. Her chest began to tighten and her heart was racing. Everything was finally catching up to her. All she could do now was lay there, and hope sleep would find her soon to save her from her terrified, drifting mind.

* * *

Draco closed his door, tossing his bag to the side. Spotting the bed in the darkness, he walked over and sat on the corner. Running his fingers through his hair a few times, he let off a long sigh of relief. It may not have been the planned safe house McGonagall had promised, but it was shelter none the less. Death Eaters had been unknowingly closing in on him only a few hours ago. To be able to escape them not once, but twice in the span of a day was nothing short of an amazing feat.

The bed creaked under his weight as he shifted further up onto it. He kicked off his shoes, hearing them fall off the bed and hitting the floor. Not wanting to dirty the few clean clothes he had, he decided to sleep in his boxers. His peeled his damp shirt off along with his pants and set them down next to his bed.

Keeping his wand next to him, he began to make his way under the covers when his hand began to send shooting pains up his arm. Slightly wincing, he had started to bring his wand to his aching knuckles when he stopped. Just for a little while longer, he was alright with having this agony. Although it hurt like hell, it at least reminded him that he was still alive. For now.

* * *

Hermione shifted slightly in her bed, blinking away the dried tears that had clung to her lashes. Rolling on to her back, she saw that the soft orange glow from the window was beginning to cast shadows on the ceiling. She could hear the first morning call of birds somewhere outside. She slowly sat up, rubbing her hands over her still tired face.

Sleep finally stole her thoughts sometime that night, but replaced them with images of her being alone in a confided, dark room, unable to escape. She had always had a problem with small, enclosed spaces. Adding darkness to the mixture was even more horrifying of a thought.

Having been trapped in her parents cellar as a child was probably the cause of her fear. She had wandered outside one night while her parents had friends over for dinner. She had spotted a stray cat that she had seen around a few times run into their cellar. Following it, the scared cat fled between her legs, knocking the door which caused it to shut and latch. She had been trapped inside for almost an hour until one of her parents friends finally heard her screams from the house.

She finger combed her auburn curls for a few minutes, helping to calm her mind until she pulled them back into a loose braid. Reaching for her bag, she went to grab something to change into when she heard that distinct crinkle of parchment under her finger tips. Taking the package McGonagall had given her out, she began to find it hard to breath. She had almost forgotten that her professor had given her this gift from Dumbledore. A gift that was meant for her and her two best friends.

Lifting her slightly trembling hand, she carefully pulled at the twine. It opened to revel three separate packages. The first package was inscribed with the name 'Mr. Harry James Potter'. The second package read 'Mr. Ronald Bilius Weasley'. And the third package, which was also written in gold script, had the name 'Miss Hermione Jean Granger' on the front. Setting the other two packages aside, she gripped the one that bore her name with quivering hands. Anticipation and hesitation were battling inside her head before finally peeling back the barrier between her and what laid inside.

* * *

Malfoy had been laying in bed for almost an hour now, staring up at the seemingly endless ceiling. Sleep once again had decided not to stay for very long, waking him up before the sun had even decided too. He had heard the rain stop awhile ago and was now listening to the soft wind rattling against the window. When the dim light began to creep in to his room, he finally made his way out of bed.

He decided to venture out into the hallway to find the bathroom, bringing his wand, a pair of slacks and a black button up with him. The first door he tried was the very last one at the end of the hallway which didn't budge. He knew the one next to his was where Hermione had went last night so his only other option was the door across the hall from his room.

Upon entering, he flicked the lights on and used his wand to begin the shower. The steam started to fill the air, making it thick with heat. Draco stepped out of his boxers and into the grey, tiled tub. The burning drops of water sent shivers down his spine. The dirt, sweat and blood that had been plastered to his skin began to slowly erode away. The tension that had been building in his muscles for days now was finally beginning to release under the heat.

Placing his hands against the wall, he allowed the water to fall down his back. Although the warmth brought peace to his aching body, it didn't help to calm his troubled mind.

 _How did my life end up here, hiding out in Snape's sodding house. Running from Death Eaters, my own father even. I can't imagine what fresh hell he is putting mother through._

He balled his fists against the smooth, silky tile. The familiar twinge of pain came, but he ignored it.

He half heartedly threw a punch at the wall, knowing not to take his frustrations out on his already wounded hand. The tension was beginning to resurface in his body again. He needed a different kind of release now.

The pleasure he was feeling from the heat of the water had already began to make him hard. He knew it wouldn't take much to give him the release his body now craved. Having far too much resentment and hostility built up from the past few days, he needed an escape. Even if it was just for a few moments.

His hand slid down the glossy tile before reaching for the growing bulge between his thighs. The steam was slowly starting to cloud his mind, creating an almost barrier between him and his disturbing thoughts. With a firm grasp, he slowly began to pump away the stress.

As the pressure slowly started to build in his abdomen, a small, muffled sound of a door closing echoed in to the bathroom. His misty, white wall started to break, letting in yet another problem in his life.

 _Fuck.. I am stuck in this house with annoying, little miss perfect Granger for the next few days too... bloody hell_.

He listened to her bedroom door shut just outside his door. His much needed escape was becoming difficult to find now. Closing his eyes, he held his grasp on his new throbbing problem. He tried to block out his thoughts again when one particular image flashed across his lids.

The picture he saw was one from last night. Hermione had stood there, still dripping wet from the rain. Her brown curls were flowing down around her shoulders. What had peaked his interest the most was this new shade of pink that blushed her cheeks when she had turn to look at him. This look was new, it almost made her seem a little vulnerable. And that excited him.

Draco's eyes shot open quickly, releasing his grip.

"Fuck." he whispered. "Fuck, fuck, fuck _no_."

 _What the hell was that? Just push it out of your mind, it's just the stress fucking with your head._

Any hope of a release was gone now. He felt even more tension forming in his muscles which only irritated him more. Gritting his teeth, he stood straight and quickly finished his shower, cursing himself the whole time.

* * *

Hermione had fresh, hot tears still lingering on her face. She had been holding on to the newly acquired book for almost thirty minutes now. She had went to freshen up her damp face when she had heard the shower running upon entering the hallway. Slipping back into her room, she was now analyzing every inch of the book as she waited for Draco to finish.

Her fingers were lightly grazing the aging spine. They then began to slowly study the fraying edges, working their way to the slightly embossed gold writing on the cover. It was written in runes, but she had figured out the title awhile ago.

"The Tales of Beedle the Bard" she spoke inquisitively.

She had read a great many books in her life so far and a great many more were still in her queue. But never had she heard of this one. Once she was a little more awake and was able to find something to eat, she would begin translating the rest of the book. She had no idea why Dumbledore would leave her this book, but she did know one thing. It was for a reason.

Hearing a door open outside in the hallway, she waited until the footsteps told her where he was headed. A few moments later, she heard the door to his room shut with a slightly over the top _bang_.

"Honestly, was that necessary?"

Rolling her eyes, she gathered her bag and placed the book carefully inside. She stood and headed for the bathroom. She knew the next few days wouldn't be easy, but at least now she had something to focus on. Something to keep her mind off of the fact that she had no idea where Harry and Ron could be, if they were even safe. Her own safety was still in question, but at least for now she could find her familiar refuge in a book.

* * *

Draco had stormed into his room after his somewhat confusing shower. He rolled up his long sleeves and laid back down on the bed.

"It was a momentary lapse, that's all. Having had barley any sleep or food, hell even Death Eaters chasing after me, it would drive anyone's mind to dangerous and dark places."

He rubbed his eyes for a moment then raked back his silver, damp hair. He didn't want to think about what had just happened anymore. Nothing happened really. It was just a thought, one that lasted for only a moment. It meant nothing.

Keeping his eyes closed, he stayed stretched out across the sheets. His thoughts began to wander onto other troubles which at some point turned into nightmares.

* * *

His eyes darted open, the image of the Dark Mark still burning on to his retinas. A thin layer of sweat had formed on his brow and his body was slightly trembling. He couldn't remember the whole nightmare, but enough to know to call it one. The Dark Mark had been hovering over his house. Running inside, his mother's bloodied, mutilated, dead body had been laid over the couch. Before he could reach her, he could hear a cold, cruel laughter and his father's voice telling him 'It was all your fault'.

Draco's stomach twisted, feeling as though he was about to be sick. Breathing through the sensation, he gathered himself enough to be able to sit up. The sun had worked itself even father into the room. He guessed it was early afternoon now. Knowing he should probably eat soon, he still didn't feel hungry. Lately he had been having to force himself to eat for fear left no room inside for anything else. Knowing Hermione would probably be downstairs, he made a slight grumble in his throat before pushing himself off the bed.

Hesitating at the door, he told himself "You have to eat. It's as simple as that. It's been almost two days without food now. Just find something quickly and then come the fuck back up here."

Waiting just a moment longer, he finally opened the door and headed down the steps.

* * *

He found Hermione sitting at a small, round kitchen table, her nose stuck in a book, actually several books, while furiously taking notes with parchment and quill. She didn't even look up to acknowledge his presence. His eyes narrowed onto her, wondering what in Salazar's name she could be doing.

"What the hell are you taking notes for Granger? I've seen your obsession with studying, but this is a whole new level. And really, a little pathetic don't you think? We aren't even at school anymore."

Hermione stopped her writing, but didn't look up to meet his eyes. When she had walked down stairs to the kitchen, the small sitting room she had been in last night was much more visible. She had walked into a room that was covered from floor to ceiling in books. Books that very clearly specialized in the Dark Arts. The idea hit her almost instantly. She had been looking in the Hogwarts library for months now on anything to do with horcruxes. Having to secretly gain access to the restricted section hadn't been easy and the few books she had manage to look through weren't very helpful. But now, now she was in a room full of Dark Arts book at her disposal. Here was her chance to find something, anything on what they have been searching for. She had grabbed as many books as she could and began looking instantly, going back and forth from researching and decoding Dumbledore's gift.

She had been making some progress on decoding the book, but so far no information on horcruxes. From what she had deciphered from Dumbledore's book, it was a little confusing. It seemed almost like she was reading some sort of fable. She was having a hard time figuring out where it was leading, but she kept on going. At least until she had been interrupted.

Using every ounce of control she had, she calmly stated "It's none of your concern what I do or how I do it. And as pathetic as it may seem to you, you may want to try it sometime. Maybe then you could actually have a chance at beating me on an exam." She kept her head still, but raised her eyes to him. "But even then, I wouldn't hold your breath. It seems like no matter how hard you try, you'll always be second to me."

The topic of him falling just short of her always seemed to aggravate him. She had a feeling it had to do with the fact that she was a muggle born and he found it unbelievable that she was able to beat a pureblood. But the fact of the matter was in almost every subject, she would finish top of the class.

Although she enjoyed reminding him of this, she was eager to continue her work. Standing up, she began to collect her books and notes to move to her bedroom.

"Where the fuck do you think you're going?" he hissed. The tension that he had been unable to let escape this morning was still inside of him, needing to be released. He couldn't think of a better way than to go a few rounds with her. It was hard enough at home to hear how pathetic he was from his father that he couldn't beat her, but having her remind him definitely made it worse.

She began to make her exit from the kitchen when Draco moved into the doorway. He folded his arms, resting his fingers on the tip of his wand that was tucked in his pocket. Hermione had fistfuls of notes clutched in her hands, balancing her bag, wand and books between her arms. She could feel her blood start to boil.

" _Move_ " she demanded.

Draco arched an eye brow. Her tone was all he needed to know he was getting under her skin. He smirk, provoking her a little more.

"You going to make me Granger?" He lowered his head a little to meet her ears.

"I'll warn you now though, you make a move for your wand again and I won't hold back this time." He lingered for a moment before pulling away. As he inhaled, a subtle, but sweet scent caught his attention. Just for a moment, the smell of strawberries and warm vanilla filled his thoughts.

Hermione could feel his warm breath gliding against her cheek. Her heart began to race, but she noticed his words didn't sound threatening. They sounded more like he was trying to bait her, luring her into one of his infamous arguments he loved so much. The offer was temping, knowing she could take him in a verbal match any day. But not now, not this time. She had too much on her mind and too much work to do.

 _Impedimenta_

Draco was caught off guard, being throw back from the doorway. Luckily, she hadn't casted the jinx too hard and was able to catch himself, bracing against on one of the book cases. Stunned, he watched as the witch passed him and headed toward the stairs.

Before heading to her room, she turned to face Malfoy, a little proud of herself. "How was it you put it? Oh that's right, I will leave you no doubt in my ability to defend myself. With or without a wand."

Enjoying the surprised look on his face, she turned and headed upstairs.

Draco blinked a few times, standing there as he rubbed his chest where her jinx had hit.

"Damn" he said. "Hate to say it, but you won that round Granger." He rolled his achy shoulder muscles a few times before leaning off against the book case. As he began to walk back into the kitchen, a small _click_ caught his attention.

He turned back around, watching as the book case began to move forward and then to the side, revealing a dark passage way. Staring at the newly formed corridor, he took a hesitant step towards it.

Peering inside, he saw a small, wooden landing with a staircase leading down to a dimly lit room. He looked around, wondering whether or not he sound venture down.

Shrugging, he said "What the hell. It's not like my life could get any worse."

He slowly began to make his way down the stairs. Grabbing his wand from his pocket, he whispered _lumos_. When he reached the bottom, his eyes grew wide.

He had entered a very large, very stocked wine cellar. Rows and rows of bottles, ranging in all types. Draco began to walk amongst them, trying to read the labels. The amount of dust that covered them made him think Snape hadn't touched one in ages. When he finally reached the end, he even noticed a few dusty bottles of aged Fire Whiskey.

"I guess the only question I have now is, red, white or whiskey?"

He smiled. _Whiskey_.

* * *

Note: Well, my writing was definitely a nice way to procrastinate from studying for finals. I can't believe I got this chapter done in less time than normal! Hope everyone enjoyed it :)

I can't believe I am almost at 30 followers. Thank you everyone, I'm so excited!

A special thanks to **Frogster** for reviewing the last few chapters. I have really enjoyed reading your thoughts on them :)! I do think Snape sees a little bit of Lily in her and some of his anger towards her may stems from that.

With the Holidays coming up, it may take a little more than a week to post the next chapter (but having to sit through a bunch of family gatherings may require me to seek refuge and write ;-p)

Happy Holidays everyone!

 _Toujours._


	6. Chapter 6: Strawberries & Vanilla

**Wounded**

Chapter 6: Strawberries & Vanilla

The sun light that had been filling Hermione's bedroom all afternoon had begun to dwindle. Open books now covered her bed, along with pages of notes she had been taking all day. She had been having no luck with finding any information on horcruxes. However, she had made some progress in deciphering the book Dumbledore had left for her. The adrenaline from the discovery of the library and her winning round with Malfoy had worn off more than an hour ago. Her lack of sleep and the twinge of hunger was making it more and more impossible to concentrate. Letting out a long sigh, she stretched her arms above her head and brought them down to her lap with a exhausted _thud_. Noting the change in light outside, she shifted her notes from her lap to the side and stood up.

"I can't believe it's already so late."

Without realizing it, she had worked straight through lunch and she was sure it was well into dinner time. She walked to her window and pulled back the battered curtains. Her view was of the river she had heard the previous night. The water was flowing quickly, tugging at stones and broken braches from the harsh winds. They all eventually surrendered, only to be dragged down into the water's dark abyss. Beyond the river was the muggle village Snape had informed them of. She couldn't see any lights coming from any of the old, stone houses. If he hadn't had told them there was still life over there, she would have been sure the town was abandoned. An eerie fog had nestled itself between the rows and rows of houses. The sun was now slowly making its descent into the horizon while the chill of the coming night air was beginning to fill her room.

Taking a step back, she rubbed her tired eyes, feeling the ach of hunger pulling at her stomach again. Walking back to her bed, she took out a dark green sweater from her purse. Pulling it over her head, it tightly hugged her delicate curves, leaving a small area of skin showing just above her hips. Sitting back on her bed for a moment before heading downstairs to make some food, she wondered where Malfoy was. Thinking that she had never heard him come back up stairs after their little altercation from the morning, she figuring he was still down there.

 _What could he have been doing down there all day? Hopefully he isn't annoyed from this morning still. I don't have the energy to deal with him again, not without a meal first at least._

She gave a small sigh, pulling back her curls. "Just a quick run for dinner, then back up here to do more research. I'll need to grab a few more books before I come back too" she told herself. "Just don't let him goad you, rise above remember? I'm sure he will have learned some type of lesson from this morning. He can't be that naive, trying to take me on would only end poorly for him again."

 _Although, I have to admit, our little arguments do keep me on my toes. He can be somewhat witty at times, boarding on intelligent even... when he isn't being a total arse._

A smirk escaped her mouth. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath before standing and headed towards the door. With her plan of a quick escape from the kitchen in mind, she grabbed her wand and beaded bag and made her way down to the first floor.

* * *

Draco poured himself another glass of Fire Whiskey in to his tumbler. The lip of the bottle hit the crystal glass, creating a small chip on the rim. Not noticing this, he continued pouring the caramel colored liquor up to the brim. Setting the bottle back on the table, he took a seat, enjoying the slight burn as it flowed down his throat.

He had finished over two-thirds of the bottle now. His steady stream of mind numbing liquid had finally given him the escape he'd been looking for. For the first time in a very long time, Draco was finally able to feel relaxed. All the questions, all the fear and pain, everything that had been troubling him began to slip away. His chair was facing the fireplace where a low burning fire he had started was beginning to lose fuel. Picking up another log, he placed it into the flames, watching it regain some of its energy.

His grey eyes were fixed on the orange and yellow flames that were licking up the chimney. Taking another sip of his drink, he settled himself back in his chair. His mind had been void of thought for awhile now, replaced with a slight buzzing sound. But he welcomed the change. The constant thoughts about his mother, father, his failures, even the nightmares had been becoming too much for him to take. The alcohol was not the only intoxicating thing in the room. The heat from the fire was also helping to melt some of his tension away. Knowing once the liquid stopped flowing, his empty mind would slowly start to fill back up with his inevitable problems. His solution for this was to keep pouring the whiskey.

Being lost in his vacant mind, Draco didn't hear Hermione's footsteps descending down the staircase. Before reaching the landing, she could feel the increase in temperature change. A rich, woody smell was wafting up from the first floor, confusing her as she took the final few steps.

Hermione stood on the landing, studying her new surroundings. A fire had been lit and Draco was facing it, slouched in the same pale purple armchair she had sat in last night. She noticed an almost empty bottle of _Ogden's Old Fire Whiskey_ on the coffee table. Taking a few strides toward the blonde wizard, she tried to figure out which of her questions now floating around her brain to ask first.

"What in Merlin's name are you doing?"

She moved around the chair to better face him, waiting for a response. He looked lost in thought, unaware that she had even spoke to him. A little startled, she noticed his face had that unguarded appearance again. She spoke a little softer.

"Malfoy?"

Draco blinked his eyes a few times, realizing someone was speaking to him. He turned to look at the curious witch, finding it hard to completely focus. He took another sip from the crystal glass before speaking.

"What does it look like I'm doing Granger? I'm having myself a nice drink." He raised his glass to her and took another swig.

Hermione watched the amber liquid slip past his lips. It left a slight shimmer to them before a quick flick of his tongue wiped it away. She folded her arms.

"Seems to me like it has been a few more than 'a drink'. Where did you even find the bottle?"

She watched him nod towards the opposite side of the room. Following his gesture, she saw that one of the book cases had been pushed aside, revealing some sort of passage way. She could smell hints of malt and oak mixed with a subtle caramel scent on his breath as he talked.

"Seems Snape likes his booze. It leads down to a wine cellar." He watched Hermione walk towards the corridor, peering down the dimly lit staircase.

"I guess Snape was wrong," she said. "It seems you're the nosy one. Don't you think he will notice a whole bottle is missing?" She turned back to look at Malfoy. He was watching the fire again, swirling the golden liquid in his glass.

"Doubt it. From the amount of dust of those bottles, it doesn't seem like he frequents his cellar much. And if he does, well, I'll be sure to tell him what a fine bottle of whiskey it was and how much I enjoyed it." He chuckled, downing the last bit of drink.

Hermione let off a soft sigh. "I'm sure he'll appreciate that." She made her way to the kitchen, leaving him to pour himself another glass.

Hermione watched him sit back down before searching through the cupboards. She decided to make something comforting. After the past few days, she hoped a nice hot meal would be able to help fill a few gaps in her life at the moment.

She had always been a decent cook, with or without magic. Her mother spent the summers teaching her the coveted family recipes. Although Hermione wasn't a huge fan of cooking, it made her mother happy and she loved the time they were able to spend together. With her parent's business becoming more and more successful over the years, finding it was sometimes difficult. But her mum always made it a point to find the time to teach her, and she appreciated it.

She began to gather all the ingredients she would need to make cottage pie, one of her mother's favorite, as well as hers. With a flick of the wand, the carrots and potatoes began to chop themselves. Another flick, and the filling began to arrange itself in the pan and was covered by a layer of buttery crust. A few minutes later and the savory pastry smelled almost sinful. Gathering a heaping scoop, she sat herself down at the table.

 _I'm surprised he hasn't come in here to try and start something, though I doubt with as much as he has had to drink he would even be able to walk to the kitchen._

Taking another bite of her savory dinner, she pulled out Dumbledore's gift and resumed the task of translating it. The only sounds she could hear from the next room were the whispering hisses of the fire and the clinking of glass, telling her he had poured himself another drink. After fully indulging herself, she wavered her wand and the dishes were clean and put away. She was about to wrap up the leftovers to put away when another one of those out of place thoughts stole her mind.

 _Offer him some food._

Figuring all Malfoy had had to eat that day was whiskey, whiskey and more whiskey, she thought that he could possibly use an actual meal.

 _But why should I care? Why should I offer anything to him? Last time I did that, he made it very clear how he felt about my help._

A certain word came to her mind.

 _Mudblood_.

She slammed the pan onto the counter, becoming irritated with the memory. _What am I thinking? That prick doesn't deserve my help, he can make his own food. Besides, he seems pretty content with his choice of sustenance for the night._

Still, for some reason she was having a hard time letting the idea of making him a plate go. Other memories kept interrupting her anger toward him. His unguarded eyes, the moments she had watched his hard exterior began to crack. She had even seen an almost human quality to him she had never thought possible of Malfoy. All of these new sides to him were making it difficult for her to not offer him help again. Wanted or not.

Still unsure of why she was doing it, but knowing it would probably blow up in her face again, she grabbed a small dish from the cupboard and placed a slice of pie on it.

 _He's going to be an arse, just accept that now._

Picking up her book and notes from the table, she placed them in her bag and headed out to the sitting room, plate in hand.

* * *

Draco had just poured himself the last glass of whiskey from the bottle and was nursing it for all it was worth. He was thinking about heading down to the cellar to grab another bottle, but the room was slightly spinning and he was sure he wouldn't make it down the first step. If he wanted another one, he would have to wait until his legs would correctly lead him down the stairs.

He heard Hermione walk into the room, but didn't turn to face her. Expecting her to make her way back upstairs, he silently keep sipping his drink. When he heard her stop just next to him, he furrowed his brown in confusion and turned.

"What the hell is that?" he asked.

Hermione was holding the plate of savory pie out in front of her, offering it to him. "What does it look like? You need something to start soaking up the alcohol in your stomach." She waved the dish a little as she spoke, hoping he would get the hint and take it from her.

Draco stared at the dish that was being gestured to him. It smelled heavenly. He didn't feel hungry, but unfortunately she did have a point. _But why would she care?_

"What is it with you always needing to help people Granger, why can't you just mind your own damn business?" He turned to look back at the fire.

She knew he would be difficult, but it still annoyed her. Setting the plate of food on the table next to him, she began looking for a few books to take with her upstairs. "Fine" she said. "Eat it, don't eat it. It's all the same to me. Just thought I would offer, you don't have to be an arse about it."

He watched Hermione start taking books off the shelves to read the titles and then put them back. "You looking for something to read? Those books seem a little dark for you type of interests." The smell of the food was still teasing him, but he held off. He didn't want to accept anything from her... at least not when she was still in the room.

She pulled out a book that was written in Roman ruins titled " _The Necromancer's Manual_ ". Figuring the book had nothing to do with horcruxes, she placed it back on the dusty shelf. She wasn't about to tell him the real reason for looking though them, but it did probably look a little strange showing an interest in them.

"There's nothing else to do around here, figure I would just take a look at what Snape keeps in his home." Noticing he went to take a sip again, she quickly placed a book into her bag. She hoped " _Hundred & One Forbidden Items and How to Use Them_" could talk about horcruxes.

"Well, if you want any recommendations just let me know. I'm thinking " _Picatrix_ " would be a nice read for you before bedtime. Very helpful book really. Lists the steps on how to poison people in all types of situations." His tone was sarcastic as he finished off his glass of whiskey.

Hermione stopped what she was doing to look at him. "Are you telling me you have actually read these books in here?"

Draco's tone was nonchalant. "At least twice for most of them. Needed something to do when father was in one of his moods. Hiding out in our library was usually the safest bet."

He placed his empty glass on the table next to the still steaming food. The smell was driving him crazy, but he still wouldn't touch it until she left. Although, it was becoming more and more difficult to resist as the copious amounts of liquor running through his veins was blurring his judgment.

A strange twinge in the pit of Hermione's stomach came when he mentioned his father. Just from her own encounters with the man, she knew he was evil. But from everything she had over heard from Malfoy, she had a feeling she didn't fully understand the extent of his wickedness.

She kept searching through the books, sneaking them in to her bag whenever she found one she thought might be of use _. If he really has read a lot of these books, he may know which ones talk about horcruxes. But there's no way I can ask him without him becoming suspicious. I can't risk him finding out what we are hunting. But... maybe there's a way I can ask without him figuring it out._

The fire was beginning to fade again, causing Draco to place another log into it. He was still enjoying the numbness from the whiskey, hoping his brain would keep this euphoria for as long as possible. Hearing Hermione drop a book on the ground, his watched her pick it up from the corner of his eyes. As she bent down to grab it, he could see her soft, rose tinged skin above her hips peak out. The shape her sweater was giving her body was doing dangerous things to his intoxicated imagination. He knew he should look away, but poor judgment was winning out.

Hermione placed the fallen book back where it came from, unaware of the curious set of eyes that were watching her. She figured she had enough books to last her the rest of the night and was about to go upstairs when Malfoy's next question made her pause.

"So, tell me Granger. How is it dating that redheaded, pathetic excuse of a boyfriend?" He didn't really know why he asked her this question. Maybe he felt the need to rile her up, but there was also some curiosity as to how anyone, even her, could find themselves dating that twat.

Unable to help it, Hermione lightly chuckled. She watched as Malfoy arched a confused eyebrow. "Not that it's any of your business, but Ron and I just friends. I just always find it funny that people assume we are dating."

"I thought-"

"I know what you thought" she said. "It seems like everyone has thought that about us. But we are just friends, nothing more." She set down her heavy bag and took the tie out of her hair.

Malfoy watched as her auburn curls lightly bounced, landing just below her shoulders. Not having fully appreciated the dark green color of her sweater, he couldn't help but notice now how well it suited her.

 _Damn it Granger._

He didn't need any more reasons for her to intrude his personal thoughts.

"It's funny. I don't even think Ron realizes just yet who he really has a crush on. But I think Luna has picked up on-"

"Luna?" Draco cut her off. "As in Loony Luna? You have to be joking. I even hear you guys making fun of her. There is no way that's possible."

Hermione felt a little ashamed. She had on occasion made a few remarks about her.. uniqueness. But she loved Luna. She was sweet, loyal and kind. "Well, you know what they say. Boys always tease the girls they like." She thought for a moment. "Well, I guess not all of them."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I mean look at you. You tease and piss me off all the time, but you do it because you hate me."

The words escaped his mouth before he could stop himself. "I never hated you."

He wanted to take the sentence back the moment he had said it. His mouth at the moment had no filter thanks to his day full of drinking. But even though he hated himself for speaking it, he couldn't help but like the fact that the softer, subtler pink hue was painting her cheeks again.

Thinking to himself, he let the awkward silence keep filling the room. _It was never about hate, more like an obligation that I had to uphold. Half the time I think I goaded her because I liked our sparing matches. But damn it, she doesn't need to know that. Stop talking Draco, your drunk, fucked up brain is going to get you in trouble._

Hermione was shocked by his candidness. The past 6 years of her life, all he had ever done was tease her, make fun of her blood status and make her life hell. It only made sense to her that he did this because he despised her. Everything he ever did or said to her would back that assumption up. And now, here he was telling her he in fact didn't hate her. She was quickly becoming increasingly warm, and she had a feeling it wasn't all because of the heat from the fire.

The sun had fully set awhile ago. The only light was now coming from the flickering flames. Uncomfortable silence was mixing together with the heat from the fire, causing the two to fidget. Neither one of them wanted to speak first, but Hermione finally broke the awkward quietness.

"Of course you hate me, look at everyth-"

"Just forget it Granger" he waved her off, turning away from her. "I misspoke. Of course I hate you. Like I said before, nothing good has happened in my life from knowing you three."

She listened to Malfoy's words, but they didn't sound very convincing. She was about to reject his statement when she was cut off.

"Just take those books you think you've snuck into your bag and head back upstairs. I don't know why you would want to read them, but it seems like you're looking for specific books." He watched her face flood with astonishment. "Looking for something in particular are we?"

Hermione wanted to deny him, but was lost for words.

"You think you're sneaky Granger, but it takes a lot for things to get past me. Drunk or not." He started to smirk, enjoying the fact that he had now seen both shades of pink he liked so much splash across her face in one day.

 _Bollocks._ Hermione thought she had been careful when she placed the books in her bags. She needed to get off this topic quickly. He already had a suspicion she was looking for something, she couldn't let him think he was correct.

"You know, you were about to make fun of me for dating Ron, when in reality I don't think you have any room to judge. Look who you picked as a girlfriend."

Draco furrowed his brow. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Oh please" she gave him a look of disgust. "Everyone knows about you and Pansy. Half the time I hear her in the girls bathroom going on and on about how she spends most nights sleeping with you." She watched his face for a response. His confused stare left, but he still didn't seem like what she was saying was true.

He swept his fingers through his hair a few times, thinking about what Hermione had just said. It was true that Pansy spent some nights in his room, but it wasn't because they were together. Draco had been desperate for a shag one night to help release some of his tension. He knew Pansy was also having problems of her own at home, with both her parents pressuring her to take the Dark Mark as well. It started out as a mutual need for a quick escape from their troubled lives. Neither one had feelings for each other in the beginning, but he began to see Pansy slowly becoming obsessed, even possessive over him. Once he realized it was becoming more than a need to shag for her, he pulled away. He had no idea she was telling people they were an actual couple. He had made it very clear to her how he had no feelings towards her, but apparently she hadn't been listening.

"We aren't together, she just isn't my type" he stated. "And that's all I'm saying on the matter so don't get all nosy about it." He went to push off of his chair to stand, when his bruised hand shot with pain.

He winced, " _Fuck_." He sat back down in the chair. The numbness from the alcohol seemed to be allowing feeling back now. He was upset at this, loving the fact that for hours now he had felt nothing. No pain, no feelings, no thoughts, nothing.

 _Maybe another bottle is in order._

Hermione was slightly shocked at his response and for some reason was a little relived knowing that even he had some standards that didn't include Pansy. She watched Malfoy hold onto his swollen hand and sighed, "Honestly, have you really not healed that yet? It's going to leave permanent damage if you wait any longer you know." Without really thinking about it, she walked over and kneeled next to him. Taking out her wand, she reached for his hand.

Draco watched the witch, unable to really comprehend what she was about to do. He didn't resist her as she began to wave her wand over his hand. He felt a slight burn rush up his arm followed quickly by a cool, soothing sensation. As she was mouthing the healing charms, he watched the flickers of light hit her soft, rosy cheeks. Her fingers felt warm underneath his skin, causing him to unknowingly push slightly harder into her hand to get closer to her heat. The pain he had been feeling for days now was starting to subside. The subtle smell of strawberries and vanilla was starting to invade his senses again, and he knew he had to pull away soon before it fully took him over.

As she quietly spoke the last of the charms, she glanced up to meet his grey eyes. The coldness she usually felt from them was gone. They looked kinder, more inviting. The oaky, caramel smell from his warm breath was softly hitting her face. Sweet, nutty notes were hitting her lips, causing her tongue to slowly glide across the bottom one. Once she tasted it, she felt like she wanted to savor more. This thought startled her, almost snapping her back to reality. She finished with his wounds, and quickly placed his hand back onto the arm of the chair.

Once her warm fingers left his skin, the room felt almost colder to him. He watched as she tried to tuck her curls behind her ear, looking almost nervous again. That timid appearance she was displaying looked wildly tempting to him. A small twinge began to make him ach just below his naval.

He hesitated for a moment, but before he could second guess his actions, his fingers reached out and securely tucked her stubborn curls behind her ear. Watching her amber eyes grow with surprise, he could feel a slight hesitation to her breath.

Hermione's head was spinning, her heart was racing. _What the hell was that?_ She had to leave the room, to get out of the enticing heat that was causing her usual careful, diligent mind to melt.

 _He's drunk. His guard is down and this side to him isn't real. Just leave._ She stood up and turned to go up to her room, taking the stairs almost two at a time.

Draco listened to her footsteps becoming harder and harder to hear. The loud thud of her bedroom door told him she would be there for the rest of the night.

He knew he would regret his actions in the morning, but his intoxicated mind was still in control. All logic and sensibility was out the door. Settling himself back in his chair, he saw the plate of food sitting next to him. Reluctantly, he picked it up and took a bite. The warm food hit his stomach, sending waves of gratitude throughout his whole body for putting something beside booze in it. He took another bite and in less than five minutes had finished the whole dish.

 _Hate to admit it, but she sure can cook. I guess she really is little miss perfect at everything._

Setting the empty plate back on the table, he felt better with actual food now in his body. He knew the meal would help quicken the thoughts and feelings to return, but the warmth he was feeling from the meal made him feel like he could now handle it now.

After some time had passed watching the fire, he was now having trouble keeping his eyes open. Better able to balance himself, he stood up and began making his way up to his room.

Closing the door behind him, he feel onto his bed without changing. The cool sheets felt like ice against his skin. He rolled over to stare at the endless ceiling. As he began to drift off into sleep, he could have sworn the scent of strawberries and vanilla still lingered in the air.

* * *

Hermione closed her bedroom door and sank to the floor. She buried her face into her hands, letting out a long groan.

"What are you thinking? Why would you let him do that?" She thought about how she had even considered wanting to taste more of his whiskey scent.

"No, no, no. Get a hold of yourself. None of its real. This is just going to cause problems between you guys now. It's hard enough having to live with him, and now you look at him like you want to devour him? Bloody hell." She picked herself off the floor and made her way to her bed. She lit the candles in her room and started to take the books she had acquired out of her bag.

 _You're just going to have to pretend like nothing happened. Because really, nothing did happen. Don't make things more awkward than they need to be. You fixed his hand and that was it... and offered him food. Which he didn't accept. Nothing has changed. He is still an arse remember._

But the look he had given her just a moment ago was making it hard for her to think that. His fingers had grazed her cheek when he went to fix her hair. And they made her heart feel like it was going to explode.

 _He probably won't even remember what he did. He did finish a whole bottle of whiskey on his own._

For some reason, this thought made her a little depressed. She shook her head. "Pull yourself together. You have more important things to worry about." Picking up one of the new books, she set off on a sleepless night of searching and decoding.

* * *

Draco woke the next morning with his head was pounding. The morning light had barely begun to creep inside his room. He laid there, trying to remember why he felt like shit. The smell of booze that had filled the room from him caused his memories to start coming back.

"Why in Salazar's name would you think it was a good idea to finish a whole bottle in one night?" He hated himself at the moment, but not nearly as much as much when he began to remember his encounter with Hermione.

" _Fuck, fuck, fuck_ " he hissed. "What in Merlin's name were you thinking?" He placed his fingers between his eyes and began trying to rub the headache away.

Draco felt like he was going to be sick. Partially due to the whiskey still sitting in his stomach, but the thought of his actions last night was putting him over the edge. She had looked so attractive last night, her touch had been more intoxicating than the whiskey.

"What the hell am I suppose to do now?" he sat up from the bed and leaned against the wall. "I'll just hide out here until Snape gets back. There's no reason I have to see her again really." He mussed his hair, hating himself more and more as the night began to become more clear.

 _You were drunk, it meant nothing at all. It's fucking Granger we are talking about her. It was just the alcohol clouding your judgment. Any other day you wouldn't dare make that kind of move._

But something in him was making him doubt his thoughts. Pushing them away, he slowly made his way to the bathroom to quickly shower. He made sure to keep his eyes open and his thoughts away from any type of release. After he freshened up, he quickly made his way back to his room to hide from the increasingly temping witch.

* * *

Hermione's fears had been answered the next morning, and then the next few days. The awkwardness had been inevitable, no matter how much she wished it hadn't. She had barely seen Draco since their confusing night by the fire. He would stay in his room, only to come out to use the bathroom or to take some food from the kitchen. Even then, he would always come out just as she had shut her door to her room, being assured he would not run into her.

On the fifth night of them being there, Hermione was sitting in the pale purple chair, sipping on a freshly brewed cup of hot tea when she heard Malfoy heading down the stairs. She placed Dumbledore's book down, watching his expression turn to disappointment when he noticed her.

He had fallen asleep an hour ago. When he woke, he was sure with the late hour she would have been in her room. He had been successfully avoiding her for days now, which was helping him forget about the confusing thoughts he had been having about her. But seeing her sitting in the chair now with a tight fitting, slightly see through white shirt and sweat pants that hugged her curvy hips was starting to do terrible things to his mind again.

Taking a step off the landing, he started to make his way to the kitchen when Hermione's words made him stop in front of her.

"It's been more than a few days and Snape still hasn't come back. Do you think we should start to worry?" She took a sip of her tea, blowing the steam from it as she did.

He watched her lips pucker, being able to smell the hint of lemon that was coming from her tea. "No. I'm sure he is just busy trying to figure out where and how to send us."

"I hope so" she said. "I'm starting to get worried something happened. I'd like to leave this place as soon as possible."

"That makes two of us." Draco replied. He met her questioning eyes, knowing what she was thinking. Some of his longing to now leave this place was because of her. He let his guard down for one night and now he was paying the price. He wanted the confusing thoughts to stop, not needing any more problems in his life.

He was about to start heading toward the kitchen again when something caught his attention. Looking at Hermione scared expression, he knew she had heard it too. It was distant and muffled, but he would recognized that voice anywhere.

 _Aunt Bella._

Quickly grabbing Hermione's hand, he pressed the bookcase to reveal the hidden passageway. Shoving her inside, he hit it again and it began to close in front of them just in time before seeing the front door handle turn and open.

* * *

Note: I hope everyone had a nice holiday! I really enjoyed writing this chapter. I'm really starting to get into their relationship and I'm excited to take it further. I hope you enjoyed as well!

The two books I mentioned, Necromancer's Manual and Picatrix, are actual books about "dark magic". I read up on them and it's some pretty interesting stuff!

( On a side note, my boyfriend got me the official wand of Hermione and Draco for Christmas! He knows how much I have been loving writing this fanfic and it was the perfect gift! )

The next chapter should be up in another week or so :)

 _Toujours._


	7. Chapter 7: Iron

**Wounded**

Chapter 7: Iron

Hermione's body went ridged. There was no mistaking the harsh, wicked voice of Bellatrix Lestrange. She could hear the depraved witch coming up the walkway, closing in on them. But her legs wouldn't let her move. It was only when Draco had grabbed her arm was she able to snap into action.

Quickly grabbing her bag, she shoved the book inside it before Draco directed her into the staircase leading to the wine cellar. Once in, she quickly waved her wand and used an extinguishing spell to put out the low burning fire that she had started and cleaned up her cup of lemon tea that had dropped on the floor before the bookcase slid in front of her, sealing them both into darkness.

Draco stood facing Hermione. He was sharing the small landing with her and could feel the monster he knew so well start to take hold. Knowing that fear was creeping in on her as well, he reached out to put a reassuring hand on her arm and spoke as low as he could.

"Stay quiet and have your wand ready." He heard the front door fully open. His stomach was in his throat now _._

Her eyes were finding it difficult to adjust to the pitch black surrounding, trying to catch her breath in the process. The top of the stairs wasn't very large and she could feel his hasty breaths hit against her forehead.

 _What in Merlin's name is she doing here?_

Bellatrix's cold voice shattered the silence. "Hurry up Wormtail! I want to leave this filth of a home as soon as we can."

Draco clenched his jaw. _I should have known my aunt would bring her lap dog with her._

Hermione heard the door slam, causing her to slightly jump. She was trying to keep her composure. It was bad enough having two accomplices of Voldemort's only a few feet away from them. But being trapped in a pitch black cellar, unable to move was doing terrible things to her nerves. She was trying to suppress her fears as best as she could, but her whole body began to tremble.

 _Breath, just breath. You'll get out of this somehow._

Draco had his wand out in front of him, listening to the two new unwelcomed guest shuffling around the sitting room.

"Start a fire" Bellatrix snapped her fingers, barking out her order. "There has to be something around here to prove Snape isn't who he says he is. I know he shouldn't be trusted, something just isn't right about him..." She began opening and closing the drawers of the coffee table while Wormtail started a fire.

The soft glow from it began to envelope the room, shinning through the cracks in the doorframe and illuminated a small portion of the hidden witch and wizard's face. Draco could see the terror in Hermione's eyes, watching her pupils dilating at the sudden change of light. He thought he saw her slightly shake, causing her to pull her wand closer to her body. This look of fear on her didn't sit well with him making his heart to pound harder than it already was. He lifted his finger to his lips, reminding her that they needed to keep quiet and turned his eyes back toward the bookshelf. It was an unsettling feeling knowing that the door was giving them the only barrier between safety and a quick trip to death.

Wormtail's squeaky voice sounded as if he stood just on the other side. "What exactly are we looking for again?"

"Anything" Bellatrix sharply answered. "Anything that can prove he shouldn't be trusted. There has to be something here." She was searching through the sitting area, pulling books off the shelves as she went.

They were landing hard on the floor. Each thud made Hermione slightly jump. She felt trapped with no escape, stuck in the corner at the top of the stairs. Flashes of her time spent locked in her parents cellar were trying to flood her mind. But she was fighting them and the urge to let out the tears that had been building behind her eyes.

 _Take deep breaths, just one more... and another..._

Draco was standing so close to the edge of the stairs, he was afraid of falling down them with the slightest movement. He carefully and quietly took a small step forward which now placed him almost on top of Hermione. He could feel the heat from her body and was sure now that she was indeed trembling.

"Has the Dark Lord told you what families he wants us to attack next?" Wormtail asked.

Bellatrix made a soft hissing sound. "Not that you deserve to know what the Dark Lord entrusts in me, but no, not yet. Filthy muggles. We need to be attacking them more than we are, but I'm sure the Dark Lord has his reasons for taking his time. The quicker we attack though, the quicker we can rid the world of them, and those filthy Mudbloods too." She picked up some more papers in one of the drawers and threw them to the side.

"I heard that Mr. Malfoy and Rowle have been sent somewhere in London to take out a few muggle families though" Wormtail said in hopes of giving some type of encouragement.

Bellatrix waved her wand which caused him to squeak with pain. "Have you been eves dropping again? I thought I had told you to stay in the dungeons unless called on!" She brought her wand down on him again.

Hermione listened to the tortured screams as each swish of the wand brought him pain. She tightly shut her eyes, trying to rid her mind of the agony she was hearing. _Vile woman_.

Draco wasn't surprised to hear his aunt taking her anger out on the man. It had almost become a common sound at the manor when he lived at home during break. He had just always been grateful that his aunt had someone other than his mother to take her demented outbursts on.

After a few long moments, they could hear the witch start to make her way into the kitchen as Wormtail's soft whimpers filled the room.

"What are you doing?" she shouted. "Do you really expect me to do this? Get in here and start going through these cupboards!"

Draco heard a high yelp and Wormtail quickly scurrying into the next room. He glanced down at Hermione who almost looked like she wanted to be sick. His brain had been trying to think of a plan if they needed to escape, but he was just hoping his aunt wouldn't find the hidden switch to the cellar. If she did become too close, he knew he could apparate them, but he wanted to avoid it if possible. He still had no idea where to go or where Snape was planning on sending them.

Hermione kept thinking of what she had heard Pettigrew say about Voldemort's plan _. He sent a group of Death Eaters to somewhere in London to kill muggle families? Glad I told mum and dad to go on the family vacation without me this year. They should be safe for now._

Hermione thought back on the note she had sent to her parents just before she had headed to McGonagall's office a week ago. Every summer, her and her parents would leave the day after she returned from Hogwarts and would spend a few weeks at their family cabin. It was nestled deep in the woods, a few miles away from a small muggle village. She loved spending time with her parents there. It was quiet, peaceful, and she was always able to find the perfect tree to relax in with a good book. But this year, she wasn't planning on going with her parents. She had wrote to them, saying that she was going to be spending the summer at Hogwarts. The letter explained that she had been offered a summer study program and she'd accepted it. Knowing that her parents would be proud and understand her need to put her academics first, they wouldn't question her choice to stay and would go on the vacation without her.

Truthfully, she had been planning on spending her summer at the Burrow with Harry and Ron, preparing for their mission on finding the remaining horcruxes. Knowing that their journey could possibly take years and would be putting her parents in danger, she had planned to visit them at the cottage before she embarked. Once there, she would erase their memories of their daughter and implant the idea of moving to Australia with new identities. She hadn't yet told her two best friends of her idea yet. But she knew they would understand, and would make the necessary detour with her first before they began their hunt.

Hearing Bellatrix say there were Death Eaters somewhere in London, she was glad to know her parents were at least safe for now, hidden away. No one knew of their family's get away location except for her, Harry and Ron.

 _At least I don't have to worry about them just yet._

Draco eyed Hermione, watching her mind turn with deep thoughts. Her eyes were still glossy, but she seemed to be becoming less shaky. His eyes darted back to look at the door when he heard footsteps coming back into the sitting room.

"Bloody hell!" Bellatrix kicked a few books that were laying on the ground. "There has to be something! I know Snape isn't who he says he is, I just know it. Damn my idiot sister for not being here to help look. She should be making it up to me for giving me such a useless, pathetic excuse of a nephew."

She spat at the floor. "I'm ashamed to call her family. I don't blame Lucius for how he acts. I'd like to show Cissy myself how I feel about the matter, but judging by how I just saw her, the Dark Lord and her husband got their point across for the both of us."

His aunt's cold laughter sent chills up Draco's spine. He gripped his wand harder, wanting to blast the door right off and hex his sodding aunt to hell and back. He was now the one trembling, but not because of fear. Rage was coursing through his veins now. The thought of his mother, unable to defend herself, taking the beatings for his mistakes was tearing him apart.

 _The first chance I get, I'll make my father pay for what he has done to his family. I just have to figure out a way to get my mother out of his grasp first._

Hermione could see the anger building on his face. She knew hearing everything about his mother was pushing him over the edge. Wanting to reach out to place a calming hand on him, she decided against it. She was afraid he might jump at her touch and cause him to reveal their hiding place. Instead, she caught his eyes and shook her head, hoping he would understand the importance of keeping calm.

"Why isn't Mrs. Malfoy here then?" Wormtail asked.

"Hell if I know. She told me she had someplace else she needed to be, but wouldn't tell me where. If I find out she knows where her shit son is, I will be first in line to give her the punishment she really deserves."

"Do you think she actually knows where he is?" Wormtail was riffling though some papers he found in one of the side tables.

Bellatrix was watching him work, almost drooling in anticipation for him to find some evidence on Snape. "I know the Dark Lord used Legilimency on Lucius and he didn't find any evidence he knew where Draco was. He was about to use it on Cissy when Snape got in the way. But I know that sister of mine. She would do anything for her traitorous boy and if she does know something, I will figure it out and bring that pitiful son of hers back home so I can torture him in front of her before handing both of them over to the Dark Lord." She was snapping her brittle fingers at Wormtail, telling him to work faster.

Draco's blood was boiling over and he didn't know how much more he could take when suddenly, he felt Hermione's soft, warm breath on his ear as she whispered to him.

"Try and be strong Malfoy. Just hold on a little longer." She spoke in an almost soothing voice, hoping that it could subside some of his anger for the moment.

He felt her hair brush against his face, leaving that sweet smell of strawberries in his nose again as she pulled her head back. Her calming tone and sugary scent acted almost as a sedative on him. He took a deep breath and tried to focus all his energy on trying to control his temper.

Hermione could feel some of his tension escape him. She was glad she was able to subdue him for the moment because she was starting to feel another panic attack setting in. The darkness seemed to be becoming more suffocating and she had to remember to breath.

"There's nothing down here that I can see" Wormtail said. "Maybe we should try upstairs?"

Panic was doing what it did best as it slowly started to strangle every inch of Hermione's body. If they went upstairs, she knew they would find two unmade beds and rooms that had been lived in.

"Well, what are you waiting for then?" Bellatrix began to move toward the staircase. "Get up there and start looking!"

All Draco could think of was his clothes strewn about his room _. Fuck. If they go up there, they will know someone has been living here when Snape hasn't._

The two intruders were about to take their first steps up the stairs when a loud bang of the front door caused everyone in the house to gasp.

* * *

"Bellatrix, how wonderful it is to see you. But I have to ask" Snape looked around at the mess they had created on the floor. "What are you doing here when you most certainly know I am now living at Hogwarts?" His voice was cold, with a hint of impatience.

Draco and Hermione looked at each other, watching as both sets of eyes seemed to fill with some relief.

"Snape," Bellatrix spoke slowly as she lowered her wand. "What a surprise."

"I should be saying the same to you two." He took a few steps into his home and shut the door. "Why are you here? And is there something I can help you find?" He gestured at the disorder on the floor.

Bellatrix's eyes narrowed on him. "I must have forgot that you had changed where you were living. But I must say, I don't blame you for wanting to leave this filth of a home." She smirk, walking back toward the center of the room.

"Wormtail" Snape said. "Stop acting so fidgety and wait outside while we talk" He stared at him with cold eyes. " _Now_."

He waited until Pettigrew stumbled his way outside. Once the door was closed, Snape turned his attention to the intrusive witch. "So, is there something you needed from me then?"

All Hermione could think about was wanting Snape to get her far away from his house and to get them to safety. _He must have come back to finally get us and take us to a safe house. What perfect timing._ She let out a small sigh. This thought made some of the panic retreat. But in order for Snape to help them, she knew he had to get Bellatrix out first.

Draco listened to his Aunt worm her way out of another tight spot. She always had a knack for lying when needed, convincing people of whatever she wanted. He knew Snape was probably one of the few exceptions to see past her bullshit. But under the circumstances, Draco guessed he was going along with her story. But hearing her talk about how she supposedly took her anger out on his sitting room because she was so disgusted about her sister was starting to try his patients again.

"The only reason I came looking for you in this hell hole was to tell you to keep your pointy, intrusive nose out of our family's business! I don't know why you find it necessary to help my pathetic excuse of a sister all the time. After everything she has done to disgrace our family, she deserve whatever she gets."

Snape's black eyes stared at her for a few long moments. He waved his wand and a few of the books that had been tossed around flew back to their proper shelf. "I see...Well, if that's all you needed to say, I suggest you be on your way. I only came here to collect a few things. Is there anything else you needed to tell me?" His words were direct and harsh.

Bellatrix began to cross the room, but stopped to ask a question. "I heard you met with the Dark Lord today. Any word on Potter?"

"No. However, the Dark Lord has finally sealed his control over the Ministry and was able to place the taboo on his name which led to some captures already of the enemy. Hopefully it will lead us to wherever Potter is hiding out."

Hermione was listening with bated breath. She would have given anything to hear news on where her best friends could be. Learning that Voldemort's name was now a trap for anyone who spoke it was terrifying. _I know how you think saying his name is standing up to him Harry, but I hope you hear about this before it's too late._ She had been gnawing on the inside of her check which was becoming raw again with the familiar taste of iron now touching her tongue.

"Well, hopefully that Mudblood's parents Potter's always hanging around with will give us some information. Dolohov and Greyback should just be getting back to the Manor now."

"What do you mean?" Snape quickly asked.

Bellatrix snorted before speaking. "What, you didn't know? They had been sent to their house and have been there all day trying to get anything they could from that Mudblood's parents. I think Greyback went just because he wanted a nice snack when Dolohov was done. They'll be dead anyways, might as well make a meal out them it I guess" Her cold laugh filled the air again.

Draco instantly grabbed Hermione and pressed his hand hard over her mouth. He could feel her screams being trapped behind her lips, hitting against his palm as hot tears washed over his skin. Knowing he couldn't let his aunt find them, he kept his hand firmly placed over her as she desperately tired to pull away.

He could hear more of the books being placed back on the shelves, grateful for the loud sounds they were making as they did. Draco wondered if Snape knew he needed to make some noise so he could hopefully get Hermione to calm down.

Putting his mouth as close as he could to her ear, he whispered the only thing he knew to say to her. "Be strong Granger. Just a little longer. You'll get to your parents in time."

Hermione was numb. There was no more time. Every second that passed by she knew could be one less breath of life for them. _There's no way they found my parents. They should have left for the cabin days ago. They can't be dead, she's lying._

She was able to softly choke out the words behind his hand. "I have to get to them, now."

Tears were pouring down her face. Her head was spinning and she thought she was going to pass out. She started to lean back against the wall, needing some type of support when she felt Malfoy's hand press against the small of her back. Being pulled closer to his chest, she could start to feel the heat of his body.

His lips were so close to her ears now he could practically taste the juicy, sweet scent of strawberries that was emitted from her. "Listen to me." He spoke firmly, but he knew he had to try and reassure her. "We just have to wait a little longer, Snape will help us once my aunt is gone. You'll be able to get to your parents soon."

 _I have to keep her quiet, getting caught now is just not a fucking option_.

And even though this thought is what motivated him the most for speaking to her in such a reassuring way, a strange sense of wanting to be the one to calm her down began to creep in. But he didn't have time to dwell on this concerning feeling. He had a suspicion that she was lost in her own mind, drowning in her fears, unable to hear anything he was telling her.

All Hermione could think of was getting to her parents. _There could still be time, but if I wait any longer it could be too late._ Flashes of Dolohov using an Unforgivable on her parents to extract any information on her whereabouts was petrifying her. She then imagined seeing Fenrir, sinking his yellow stained fangs into them and gorging himself.

The loud bang of the front door caused the room to shake. "Wormtail!" Bellatrix exclaimed. "Didn't we tell you to stay outside?"

"Yes, yes you did Ms. Lestrange but the others should be at the Manor by now and we really should be getting back-"

A sharp cry of pain came from Wormtail, informing Draco that his aunt was reminding him that she didn't take orders from anyone except the Dark Lord. He listened to her scream at him when he felt Hermione push away, causing him to quickly turn to face her. The light from the fire was dim, but he could tell her demeanor had changed. Her eyes were still glossed with tears, leaving tracks on her cheeks as they escaped. But they spoke now with determination. And he had a feeling he knew what she was about to do.

The commotion that was now in Snape's sitting room was filling it with loud sounds of the witch's outburst. Hermione knew she couldn't wait for Snape. She had to know now if what Bellatrix had said was true and the noise she was creating was the perfect time for her to apparate without them hearing.

 _Malfoy can be sent to the safe house once Snape is able to rid his house of the filth and vermin that have intruded it. But I can't wait around when I can go help my parents if they really are at home._

Looking up at Malfoy, Hermione noticed that he was almost studying her. His grey eyes seemed to have that inviting look to them again. She realized he had even been trying to comfort her these last few minutes, unsure of his motives. But she was grateful no matter the cause. She knew if it hadn't of been for him, she would have been heard and they both would have been found.

Holding her bag and wand tightly, she quietly whispered "I'm sorry, but I have to do this" and began to turn on the spot.

Draco reached forward, tightly grabbing her arm. "Granger don't even think about it-" But it was too late. He could feel his lungs tightening, forcing all the air out of him. Darkness was all he could see and he knew any hope of help from Snape was now lost.

* * *

The sharp sting of the cold night's air pierced Draco's skin. The smell of pine and freshly cut grassed began to fill his nose as he took in his new surroundings. Although he knew these smells should have brought a sense of calm to him, he could feel the air was thick with dark magic which caused him to grab Hermione's arm tighter. He was still holding on to her when he felt her quickly try to pull away.

"Malfoy what are you doing?" Hermione look at him with tears in her eyes. "You weren't suppose to follow me here!"

She was desperately trying to get away from him, needing to see if her parents really were still at their house. Sensing that something was wrong the moment she arrived just outside of her driveway, she knew she had to hurry.

Draco was struggling to hold on to the panicked witch. He was pissed that he had tried to stop her for now he was here and all hope of Snape's help had gone. But he knew he couldn't just let her run to what he assumed was her home, knowing that Dolohov and Greyback could still be there.

He tugged forcefully on her arm, trying to get her to think before she acted. "Listen to me Granger! You can't just run in there, especially when you're not thinking clearly. What if they are still in there with your parents-"

But Hermione was done listening. With one final pull, she managed to escape his hold and began running up the long, stone driveway. It was a secluded house, pushed back from the road and hidden among the trees. Her footsteps pounded against the hard pavement, echoing around her. Her wand was tightly grasped in her hand, ready for anything that would stand in her way of reaching her house.

 _They won't be there, they are safe and at the cabin. They have to be._

Draco cursed under his breath, watching her take off. Night had fallen awhile ago, leaving only the moon to light his way as he started to chase after her. Instinct was telling him to run the other way, knowing if he was caught it would be the end. But something inside of him was telling him he couldn't leave Hermione to fend off a Death Eater and a werewolf by herself.

The closer she came to her house, the more she knew something wasn't right. Dark magic always left its mark. The air was heavy, almost smothering and an eerie calm had settled itself on the property. But when she was close enough to see the front porch, she noticed that no lights were on.

 _Maybe Bellatrix had lied. They are probably just at the cabin, their car isn't even in the driveway._

But the few seconds of hope she had had was quickly washed away when she noticed that the front door had been left slightly cracked open.

Draco was trying to catch up to Hermione when he noticed she started to slow down. When he saw her reach the front door, a soft glow from her wand lit the front porch. He watched her slowly push the front door open, but remain rooted there as he came up and stood by her side.

Feeling Malfoy next to her, she quietly said "You don't have to come with me-"

"Sod off Granger" he whispered as he began to follow her inside. He had already come this far, and he wasn't about to let her walk into the house alone. Pushing the need for self preservation aside, he now felt a moral obligation to go in with her.

The sounds of cracking glass reverberated off the walls as Hermione stepped on pieces of the shattered mirror that had once hung in the entrance way. She heard Draco's footsteps behind her as she slowly made her way into the front room. Clearly a struggle had taken place here, but she wouldn't let the hope of her parents still being alive leave her. She couldn't.

She could feel her heart pounding in her chest. Her wand was out in front of her, with hexes ready at the tip of her tongue if needed. Listening as hard as she could for any signs of life, the silence was becoming almost deafening. Making her way deeper into her house, she took them past the kitchen and started heading into the dining room.

As Draco followed her down the hall, the smell of iron began to replace the woody smell in his nose. He glanced at Hermione and her wide eyes told him she could smell it too. Any hope he had had for her for finding her parents in time was quickly fleeting. If what his aunt had said was true, leaving people alive after they were done with them was just not something a Death Eater did. Nor a twisted, blood thirsty werewolf like Greyback.

Stretching her wand farther out, she pushed open the door and the dim light from it began to illuminate the next room. Upon entering, her stomach dropped and she froze just inside the doorway.

Almost knocking into the back of her when she abruptly halted in front of him, Draco let off a low scoff. He was about to ask her why the hell they had stopped when he saw the answer. As if for some reason needing to shield her from such a horrid scene, he snaked his arm around the front of her waist and pulled her back, covering her eyes with his other hand.

"Granger," he softly spoke in her ear. "Don't look."

Hermione couldn't move. She was breathing so quickly, she couldn't even begin to process what she'd just seen. Her whole body was shaking and was on the verge of a break down. She could feel Malfoy trying to move her back into the hallway, but she planted her feet firmly onto the floor.

"No," she stated. "I have to see it again to believe it." She grabbed Malfoy's hesitating hand and slowly began to push it off of her eyes to reveal both of her parents lifeless bodies in front of her, drenched in their own red blood.

* * *

Note: Well... my heart is racing a little after writing this chapter. I knew this one was going to have a lot of suspense and emotion in it so I hope it all comes across well. Sorry it was a little on the shorter side than what I normally try and do, but I needed it to end there.

On a happier note, Happy 2016! Thank you guys for all the follows, reviews and favorites, it really means a lot! :) I hope everyone had a nice New Years.

Next chapter should be up in another week or so.

 _Toujours._


	8. Chapter 8: Letter

**Wounded**

Chapter 8: Letter

Hermione was still holding her wand out in front of her as her _Lumos_ charm began to wane. Even when the light from its tip had fully extinguished, the image of her parents lifeless bodies was still burning on her retinas. They were both sitting, face down on the long, wooden table. The slashes and gouges from their torture had now left the once cream colored upholstered chairs a dark rusted red. The over powering smell of blood was making her feel nauseous. Still feeling Malfoy's persistent tug on her to move out of the room, she kept her feet firmly planted.

One of Draco's arms was still tightly wrapped around Hermione's waist, but his other hand was now tangled in her soft curls when she had pushed it off of her eyes. The room was dark again, but the light from the moon was glistening in the sanguine pools that surrounded the room. Trying to cover her eyes again, he still knew the memory of seeing her murdered parents would forever be plastered in her mind. A horrible, gruesome, life altering memory.

 _Damn it. She doesn't need to be here anymore._

He spoke quietly, but with subtle force. "You don't need to see this. And we can't stay here, we need to leave. They could come back-"

Bowing her head, her voice was shaky. "They've done their damage. They aren't going to come back."

She tried to take a step forward, but the pull from Malfoy wouldn't let her. The pressure she was feeling from his hold felt oddly wanted, but she had to get to her parents. Her thoughts and emotions were quickly flooding her brain and were starting to make her feel as if she was drowning with no chance of survival.

Malfoy tightened his hold a bit more. _She has a point. Coming back would be pointless. They have what they came for... But still, she can't stay here and see her parents like this._

"Fight me all you want, but I'm not letting you go. Just at least come back in to the hall with me." Feeling her body trembling all over, he was bracing himself to catch her if she passed out. She was already putting most of her weight into his chest and was slightly swaying side to side. He was thinking about just picking her up and carrying her out of the room when he felt her hand squeeze his arm that was around her waist.

"Please, Draco" she pleaded. "Just give me a minute alone with them."

He felt his breath catch in his throat. Not once since he had known her had she ever called him by his first name. And the way she said it in an imploring way, almost needing something desperately from him, made his gut turn. Hesitating for a moment, he started to loosen his hold and untangle his fingers from her hair as he took a step back. He still didn't like the idea of leaving her alone in the room, but the way she had just spoken to him left him no choice.

"I'll be right outside the door Granger." Taking another step back, he left her standing in the darkness and walked back into the hallway. When he opened the door, the sounds of crunching from under his feet caused him to look down to see a few fallen pictures of the once happy family.

* * *

Minutes turned in to over an hour as Draco remained standing outside the dining room door. Part of his brain was continuing to tell him to run, worried Death Eaters may still come back. But he couldn't, not after the way Hermione had spoken to him. He knew he was probably insane for staying to wait for her. But hearing her say his name in such a desperate voice was what made him stay. At least, to make sure she was alright before figuring out where to go next.

He had expected to hear crying, screaming or even sounds of smashing from the other side of the door, but silence was the only sound coming from the next room. Picking up the broken pictures he had stepped on for the fourth time, he studied them again. Bringing the soft light from his wand over them, he looked at the smiling faces staring back at him.

The first picture showed a small child he assumed to be Hermione who was being held by her father while her mother held her hand. They seemed to have been at some sort of fair, with a great many tents, stands and balloons behind them. The second picture was just of Hermione and her father wearing skiing outfits. With the amount of snow that was being blown in front of the camera, Draco could almost feel how cold it was that day. But even with the thick flurries around them, he could still see they both had huge smiles on their face as Hermione hugged her father. And the last picture he found was of a much younger Hermione, sitting in the crook of a tree with her face shoved into a book. This photo was Draco's favorite. The sun's bright rays were escaping though the breaks of the leaves, making Hermione's hair look almost honey colored. Draco knew that she probably didn't even realize she was having her picture taken. If he knew one thing about her, it was that she loved her books. And if he knew another, it was once she starts reading a book, it takes a lot to bring her back out of one.

Draco thought back on a time when the idiot Weasel twins had set off some of their "never ending, snap till you clap" firecrackers in the courtyard one afternoon. While he found it hilarious to watch everyone scatter in a panic, he noticed that Hermione was sitting on a bench nearby, completely engrossed in one of her books. She hadn't even flinched at the obnoxiously loud sounds of their firecrackers and kept on reading while chaos erupted around her. It wasn't until one of her pathetic friends had come over to grab her did she realize anything had even happened. Watching her roll her eyes and begin to lecture the twins on safety and rules, she clapped her hands twice and the bangs stopped instantly.

Setting the pictures back on the floor, he heard a nearby clock ring five times. Knowing that it had been long enough for her to be in there alone, he pushed open the doors back into the dining room. As the light from his wand began to illuminate the space, his heart began to race at what he found. Hermione was kneeling next to her mother, resting her head in her lap. It made him want to be sick.

Needing to take her away from this room once and for all, he started walking towards her. "Come on Granger, you need to get up now. You can't stay here anymore."

Putting a hand on her shoulder, his warm fingers felt like they had touched ice. Her once white shirt was now stained red and her sweat pants had soaked up a good amount of blood. The light from his wand showed that her curls were now clumped together, sticking to her face. He gently shook her, but she didn't budge.

"Granger, can you hear me?" He watched for any sign of acknowledgment.

Every last cell in Hermione was numb. She had stood looking at her parents for what felt like an eternity before she finally had made her way over to their bodies. Her lungs were telling her to scream and her eyes were preparing to cry, yet for some reason everything she was feeling was being held trapped inside. Finally, her legs had given out and she fell to the floor next to her mother. Hermione had become lost in her emotions, drowning in the endless waves of pain, hate and sorrow.

She slowly blinked her eyes as she began to hear a voice calling her name. The warmth she suddenly felt from Draco's touch felt like a lifeline she needed to grab onto.

Draco knew shock had fully set in for her and had taken hold. _Shit. Sorry, but this is the only way then._

Bending down, Draco grabbed hold of the witch's arm and slowly pulled her up. Once she was standing, he placed his arm under her legs and behind her back. He picked her up, along with her wand and bag, and slowly started to make his way out of the room.

 _She hasn't made a sound since I left her. She may not want to let it out, but she can't keep emotions like these built up for long. It'll destroy her... I should know... but first things first, I have to find her something to change into. She can't have her parents blood on her._

Remembering they had passed a staircase when they first entered the house, he headed that way. Once upstairs, he hoped to find her room allowing her to change. But as he took deep breaths, he realized the usually sweet smell of strawberries that used to come from her had now turned sharp and metallic. And it unsettled him.

Hermione could feel that she was being carried, but was still lost in thought. She kept telling herself that her parents were dead, but part of her brain wouldn't let her believe it. The battle between reality and the need to run from it was still raging in her mind.

 _This is all your fault. You should have been here to save them. They're dead because of you... but they can't be dead, they shouldn't even be here..._

Draco's eyes had adjusted to the darkness and the light from the moon was still shinning through the windows which was helping him maneuver back towards the front of the house. Coming to the staircase, he asked "Granger, I'll get you to your room so you can change. Can you just tell me where it is?"

He looked down, hoping to have some type of response. But nothing. Her blank stare and trembling body was causing him to worry more and more. He had never seen her like this. Seeing emotions like these always made him feel uncomfortable. And even though his uneasiness was starting to become more than he thought he could handle, he knew leaving her alone to deal with her parents death was just not something he was willing to do.

 _I guess we'll just go and figure it out one bloody door at a time._

Reaching the top of the stairs, it came up to a rather large landing. The bay window to the left of him was letting in the last remaining beams of light the moon had before the sun came up. Taking a step off the landing, he could see two sitting chairs in front of the window along with a coffee table in between.

Setting Hermione down in one of the chairs, he lit his wand and told her "I will be right back. I just need to find your room." His grey eyes stared into hers. He was used to seeing the amber color staring back. It was usually accompanied with a spark of whit, bite, annoyance, even sometimes anger when she was dealing with him. And he liked it. But seeing her eyes dull and cold, almost lifeless was making the unsettling feeling worse.

The numbness Hermione had been feeling was starting to wear off. The excruciating pain hit her first in the chest, slowly making its way to her stomach. Reality was starting to win the war and it was becoming harder to fend back the tears. The smell of blood was hitting her senses harder now. Looking down at her trembling hands, she saw they were covered in blood. Her eyes widened, knowing that the blood she was now covered in was from the only relatives she had left.

 _It's all your fault._

Turning from Hermione, Draco had a choice of two hallways. One in front of him and another to the right of the stair case. Taking the longer of the two corridors, he tried the first door he came to on the left which was locked. Cursing under his breath, the next door he tried was a linen closet and the next seemed to be a spare bedroom full of boxes. Finally, the last door he tried opened to reveal a room he instantly knew to be Hermione's.

Taking a few steps inside, he set her wand and bag to the side as the light from his wand showed a room that belonged to an avid bookworm. Flicking on a switch, a small desk lamp in the corner of the room gave off a small amount of light. But it was enough to be able to see that a whole wall had been turned into bookshelves. Rows and rows of books, stacked on top of each other looked as if the sheer weight of them would snap the shelf in half. His next clue came from the crimson and gold accents that were scattered around her room. Slightly rolling his eyes at the poor choice of colors, he began to turn around to go grab Hermione when the sounds of someone running down the hallway caused him to stop.

"What the-"

And in a flash, he saw the brunette rush pass him into her room toward a door at the other end of the room. Watching her quickly open it and slip inside, the sudden sounds of rushing water made him think she was standing in a bathroom.

Seeing her parents blood on her hands was causing sheer panic to rise in Hermione's chest. Once her surroundings had come back to her, reality had fully won. She knew her parents were dead and their blood was now covering her from head to toe. Needing to get it off, she had sprinted to her bathroom to start washing it away.

Taking big gulps of air, she was muttering "Get if off me... get it off me..."

She was scrubbing her hands under the scalding water from the faucet. The crack she had left in the door allowed the dim light to illuminate her face as she looked at herself in the mirror. Her pale cheeks were also smeared with the dark red color that was causing her so much terror. As her eyes widened even more, she looked back down at her hands that still had flecks of blood on them.

Draco cautiously opened the door a little wider to see the frantic witch washing her hands in the sink. He didn't know whether he should stay there or to give her some privacy. As calmly as he could, he began to ask "Do you want to be left alone or-" but he was cut off.

Hermione wasn't getting the blood off fast enough for her to handle. She kept on muttering "get it off me" over and over again until she was trembling so hard she was about to collapse.

He could tell she was becoming almost hysterical. The break down he had expected over an hour ago was finally setting in. But he didn't know what to do for her. She looked helpless, scared. And he didn't like it. Slipping into the bathroom with her, he tried to speak calmly again.

"Listen, we will get it all off. You just need to change your clothes and to keep washing it." He reached out to try and stop her arm when he noticed she started to feel her damp, sticky hair. But it was too late. He knew she had felt more blood than she had thought was on her by the look on her face.

Draco tried to reassure her. "You'll get it all out, you just have to keep washing it."

Hermione's fingertips felt the tacky clots of blood that had clung themselves to the ends of her curls. This was the tipping point to her inevitable breakdown. Everything she had just seen, everything that she had been fighting to run from had finally caught up with her.

Draco was watching her, knowing they had to start washing everything off of her as quickly as possible. He went to grab a nearby towel to offer her when he saw a look from her he had never seen before. She was staring at him as if really noticing Draco for the first time since he had carried her from the dining room. He didn't need to hear the words that were about to come from her mouth, he didn't want too. Her glossy, pleading eyes told him everything she was about to say to him. He just had no idea how he was going to respond.

It was a soft whisper at first, which grew louder and louder by the second. "Help me." She was looking at him as if he held some kind of answer. "Please, help me. Just... just get this off of me." Her hasty whimpers began to fill the air.

He watched her as she pleaded with him. _What the fuck do I do? Damn it Granger, don't look at me like that._ Draco was starting to hate himself for just standing there, but he didn't know what to do for her.

He thought to himself that this moment should have made him feel uncomfortable, needing to run away from the situation, but it didn't. For some reason he wanted to do the opposite. Wanting to help her seemed so unfamiliar to him. It had always been about helping himself, or his family, but never anyone else. Seeing her so vulnerable, so scared and wounded made him feel as if he needed to be the one to answer her plea.

Hermione was losing control of her emotions and was starting to hyperventilate. The feelings of fear, panic, anger, misery and everything in between began to weigh on her body. She couldn't think straight, still staring at Draco, hoping that he would have the solution she needed at the moment. Anything to quickly get the blood off of her.

With all the effort she had left in her, she let out one last "Please" before the hot tears that had been needing to escape finally began to roll down her cheeks.

Her plea pierced him in the chest, hating the look of anguish on her face. When the first tear reached her jaw line, without thinking he flicked his wand and the shower began to steam the room. Sliding the glass door to the tub aside, he grabbed Hermione's arm and started to pull her into the shower. Ignoring the shocked look on her face, he slid the door closed once they were both in the small space. The heat from the water took a second to reach Draco's skin as his shirt began to soak it up. The light in the bathroom was minimal, but he could clearly see the water instantly turn red the moment they had stepped in.

Hermione was facing Draco, her back towards the water. The warmth from it nearly shocked her back from the darkness she had been heading towards. Her wide, confused eyes were staring into Draco's. But as she started to feel the dried, crusted layers of blood on her body wash away, she knew he was giving her the help she had desperately needed.

Pushing his blonde hair out of his eyes, he watched as her hair started to return to the auburn color he knew. The blood that had been soaked up by her shirt and pants had started to wash away. But her face had yet to be cleaned. Slowly, he started to reach his hand to her cheeks to wipe away the remaining blood. Her skin felt soft underneath his finger tips. Even when all the blood had been washed away, he kept his hand there.

Feeling Draco's fingers touch her face sent chills down her spine. The breakdown she had been holding back was needing to be let out. Her chest was heaving and her heart kept deciding to skip every other beat. She was finding it hard to stay standing, wanting Draco to leave her to mourn, but at the same time not wanting to be alone. She was about to speak when she felt Draco's fingers start to reach behind her head and tangle with her hair.

Knowing what she needed to do next, he whispered "It's going to be ok Granger. But until it is, do what you need to do."

Not a second after he spoke these words, her heavy cries began to fill the stall. Draco felt Hermione lean forward before she rested her head on his chest. He could feel her body heaving as her muffled sobs hit against his body. A little shocked that she used him to brace herself, he surprisingly also felt a little pleased that she did. Keeping his hand on the back of her head, he used his other arm to wrap around her back and slightly pulled her closer, easing them both down to sit on the tiled floor. The steady stream of the water continued to wash over them as he watched the remaining flecks of blood being washed down the drain. No matter how long it took, he knew he could endure listening to her release the pain and agony she was feeling because even though it hurt him to hear her like this, he was sure it was nothing compared to how she was feeling.

* * *

Draco had no idea how much time had passed since they had entered the shower. He had lost count on how many times he had used a re-warming charm on the water. Still holding on to Hermione, he slightly shifted his weight to reposition them again to a more comfortable spot. He heard a soft sigh escaped her, which was better than the torture filled sounds she had been making. He was sure she had cried herself to sleep at this point, but was afraid if he moved too much it would wake her. Knowing they couldn't stay in the shower forever though, he was beginning to think he could try and carry her to her bed to let her sleep there instead.

As the water began to turn cold again, instead of charming it, Draco decided it was time to move them from the tub. Carefully he began to stand, turning the water off as he did. Quietly opening the sliding door, he grabbed his wand and muttered a drying charm for both of them. He noticed her white shirt was still a soft shade of red, but at least all the blood had been long washed away. Draco place his arms under the sleeping witch and began to carry her to the bed. Relived that she was still sleeping as he placed her under the covers, he couldn't help but watch as the soft curls fell around her face. Hesitating for a moment, he gently reached out and push a few of them off her face. His fingertips lightly ran down the once rosy cheeks he was so used to seeing before quickly pulling his hand back.

 _What in Salazar's name are you thinking?_

He turned away from Hermione, balling his fists in annoyance at himself. Unable to figure out why he was having these strange feelings for a girl he had always found irritating, his body began to feel the strain it had been put through and his eyes started to feel heavy.

 _You should at least stay where she can see you in case she wakes up. Last thing she needs is to think she is alone._

Frustrated for caring again, Draco walked over to the plush armchair tucked away in the corner of the room. As he sat down, he waved his wand and the reading lamp on the desk clicked off. Sitting in the chair, he watched the sleeping witch as her chest slowly heaved up and down. He knew once she woke, the suffering and heartache would still be waiting for her.

 _You're strong Granger. You'll just need to remember that or the pain will keep knocking you down._

As his eyes began to close, darkness was allowing his own demons to visit his mind. He just hoped that he was also strong enough to keep them at bay. For he too had to remind himself he was strong enough to make it through, whether he believed it or not.

Draco's footsteps were echoing down the hall. No matter how hard he ran, he still couldn't reach his mother's screams. When he finally was able to reach the door to where his mother was being tortured, he turned the handle but it wouldn't open. He could hear his father on the other side yelling about how much of a worthless bitch she was to give him such a terrible son. Draco pounded harder on the door, but no matter how hard he tried it didn't budge. Just then, a flash of green light escaped from the bottom of the door and silence filled the house.

* * *

His eyes snapped opened. A thin layer of sweat had formed on his brow and his breathing was heavy. Leaning forward in the chair, he placed his arms on his knee. "Damn nightmares." He rubbed his face a few times before noticing Hermione was no longer in bed.

Quickly rising from his seat, he looked around the room. Grabbing his wand, he walked out into the hallway and quietly asked "Granger?"

 _Where the hell did you go?_

The bay window was letting in the late afternoon sun. His eyes started to adjust to the new light when he noticed the room that had been locked the first time he tried it was cracked open. Keeping his wand out in front of him, he slowly pushed open the door.

Letting out a relieved sigh, he said "Shit Granger, wake me next time."

Hermione was sitting at her father's desk holding a letter she had read now over three times. Fresh tears had been spilling down her face as she looked up to see Draco come into the room. Wiping her cheeks, she cleared her throat before speaking.

"Sorry" she muttered. "I just thought you might want to sleep some more." She set the parchment down on the desk.

Draco watched her, wondering what she had just been looking at. He noticed that she had changed into a pair of jeans and a new shirt. Her eyes were slightly swollen and red, but her cheeks seem to have found some of their color. He took a few steps into the room, unsure of what to say next to her.

Hermione had woken up almost thirty minutes ago. It had taken her a few minutes to realize where she was, but everything eventually came flooding back. Her murdered parents, her breakdown, even how Draco had comforted her when she needed help. Slowly she made her way out of bed and grabbed something to change into. Noticing Draco had fallen asleep, she quietly started to walk out of her room. She saw her wand and bag on the floor next to the door and picked them up on her way out.

Knowing she couldn't face what still waited for her downstairs, she decided to go to her father's study. She needed to feel close to her parents and she knew that room held many memories. Turning the knob to the study, she let out a little chuckle. "I should have remembered. Dad never leaves his study unlocked" Muttering _alohomora_ , she heard the low click of the lock and she pushed opened the door. The familiar scent of scotch and leather hit her nose. Taking a few steps inside, she flicked on the light switch and began walking around the room. She started to look at all the family pictures that littered the walls as her fingers began to skim the stack of leather bound books sitting on the shelves. Seeing some of her favorite titles, she grabbed "The Hound of the Baskervilles" and started flipping through the pages.

"How many times did I sneak in here late at night while you were working and convince you to let me read Dad?" A smile crossed her face. "Mum would be so mad if she found out you let me stay up past my bed time."

Taking the book with her further into the room, she started to set it on his desk when an envelope with her name on it caught her attention. Her heart was in her throat, recognizing it was in her mother's hand writing. Her hand was beginning to tremble as she reached for it. The envelope had not been sealed yet as her fingers reached in for the letter. Her eyes began reading the note, taking a seat in her father's chair.

 _Hermione,_

 _Your father and I are so very proud of you for being chosen for the study program! I was a little sad to hear you wouldn't be joining us for the summer, but we understand academics always come first. Your determination and strong work ethic is something I've always envied. I couldn't have asked for a better daughter._

 _When we heard the news that you wouldn't be coming on the family trip, your father and I both agreed it wouldn't be the same without you. So instead, we decided to finally take that second honeymoon we had always talked about! The family cabin can wait until you're home for the Christmas holidays. You and your father always love to go skiing there._

 _We will be spending the summer in Italy now! Your father is making the arrangements as I write. He is so excited to be planning this trip. (Let's just hope he does a better job than the last time he planned one and we don't end up trying to find a hotel in the middle of the night!) Our plane will be leaving in a few days. I will attach a summary of our itinerary and Sarah's information in case you need to get a hold of her. She will be running the business while we are away._

 _Your father and I wish you all the luck on your classes over the summer. We will send plenty of postcards, so sorry in advance if we send too many! Always know that we love you so much sweetie and are so, so proud of you. If you need us to send you anything, just let us know._

 _Ciao! Love, Mum_

Tears had began to fall before she had finished the last line. She read and re-read it multiple times, hating herself more and more.

 _You should have just come home for the summer. They would have gone to the cabin and would have been safe, alive._

This is how Draco found her, reading her mother's letter she had not yet sent. Hermione looked up at the blond wizard, staring into his grey eyes as he talked to her. She was finding it difficult to focus on what he was saying, still too lost in her pain.

Draco could tell she was deep in thought. He had asked her twice now if she wanted to be left alone, but she hadn't answered. "Did I lose you Granger, or what?" He wasn't sure if she was hearing him, but he asked another question. "Listen, I know this isn't the best time to bring this up. But we really shouldn't stay here much longer. It isn't safe and... why are you looking at me like that?" Draco had noticed Hermione's face had changed. Her brow started to furrow before she spoke.

"Why did you help me Draco? And why have you stayed?" When she heard Draco talk about leaving, it hit her that he hadn't left her yet. He hadn't left and his actions last night was definitely not his usually norm.

Draco shifted slightly, rolling the muscles in his shoulders as he moved closer to the desk. Her question caught him off guard. He wasn't quite sure himself why he was still with her or why he had put her needs before his. But the fact was he had and it was continuing to confuse him. "We don't have time to talk about why I did what I did... at least not now. We really should figure out what we are going to do. I know this isn't easy, but we really shouldn't stay here."

Hermione watched as Draco became uncomfortable with her question. She knew he was right though, they needed to keep moving. But thinking about her parents, the letter, having to come up with a plan, it all seemed impossible. The pain she was feeling inside seemed like it was never going to leave.

Draco raked his fingers through his hair, trying to come up with a solution on where they could go. He thought about trying to go back to Snape's, but had no idea if it was a safe option.

 _Who knows if my sodding aunt is still there, or any other Death Eater for that matter. Snape has probably returned to Hogwarts anyways by now._

He was about to suggest maybe trying to scout out his house when Hermione stood from the chair. Confused, he watched as she came from around the desk and started heading towards the door.

"Where are you going?" he asked. When no response came, he started to follow her out of the room and down the stair case. "Granger? I said, where are you going?"

Hermione was headed into the kitchen. She was hoping the keys to the cabin where still where they had always put them. Reaching the drawer next to the refrigerator, she opened it and saw the familiar key ring that held at least one solution for her. She was about to reach for it when she felt Draco's hand grab her arm.

"Talk to me here, what are you doing?" He watched as she held up a set of silver keys. "What the hell are those for?"

"This is where we can go. At least for now" she said. "My family has a cabin. No one knows about it, I promise we will be safe there."

Draco was shocked. A moment ago, her eyes seem to be filled with agony and now they were full of determination.

Hermione knew she couldn't fall apart again. At least not yet. The idea of going to her parents cabin had come to her and she grabbed on to it. She was always one who needed a plan, and now they had one. Or at least part of one and at the moment it was her life raft.

Malfoy was becoming concerned. This sudden change of mood was an act and he knew it. "Are you alright?" But his question would have to wait.

"I just need to.. take care of a few things before we go. Under the sink are some bags. Could you start filling them with food?" She started heading toward the dining room doors.

"Granger, slow down. What are you doing?" Malfoy quickly asked. He knew what awaited her on the other side of those doors.

Hermione stopped and placed her hand on door. "I need to take care of a few things. I'll just need a little bit of time." She turned her head back to look at Draco's concerned eyes. "I promise I'll be alright." She found it odd that he seemed to care so much about her, but for some reason, knowing that he did made the pain in her chest seem just a little bit less.

* * *

Night had begun to fall as Draco finished packing up the last of the food he found in the kitchen. He had heard shuffling and doors opening and closing coming from the next room since she had walked in there. He had wanted to check on her a few times to make sure everything was alright, but decided to give her some privacy. Once he had finished, he sat down on one of the bar stools. As he waited for her to finish, a strange thought crossed his mind.

 _For being muggles, their home isn't a shit hole like I've always been told they are. In fact, it's pretty damn nice._

He looked around the large kitchen, noticing a full liquor cabinet and a whole case of wine. From what he had seen of the house, it was anything but a dump. He had always been told muggles were filthy, disgusting people who needed to be gone. But seeing this house contradicted everything his family had told him.

 _Just another fucking lie in my life to add to the list. Thanks for the wonderful upbringing, dad._

When Hermione finally came back through the doors, he saw that the look of determination was still there, but it had faded some.

Hermione was trying to keep it together. Looking at Draco, she said "I think they will be happy there. The willow tree in the back was always their favorite." Tears were building in the back of her eyes, but she kept them in.

It took a moment for Draco to understand what she had meant. But he knew she must have taken care of her parents bodies. Slowly he nodded his head. "I'm sure they would have." He stood up from the stool.

Quickly wiping the corner of her eyes, she said "I've locked the house up and have made the arrangements I needed to." She had just put a letter in the mail addressed to Sarah who was a close family friend. She was practically family at this point and she had been working at her parent's business for many years. The letter Hermione had written her would make Sarah think her parents caught an earlier flight and were headed to the airport. She knew Sarah was already in charge to take care of the finances and would keep the business running, for the time being at least. She could figure out the rest later.

"I just need to put the food away and we can be off." She started loading everything Draco had packed up in her beaded bag.

"You ever going to tell me how that bag of yours works? Or hell, better yet what do you have in there?" He watched as more and more bags went inside of it, but never grew.

Hermione let off a small chuckle. "No" she sighed. "Not just yet at least." Once finished, she realized something.

She looked at Draco with sincerity. "I never told you thank you."

He pulled his fingers through his hair as he responded. "It's whatever. I never expected-"

"Thank you Draco. For everything, last night. I honestly don't know what I would have done without your help."

Hearing gratitude was not something Draco heard very often. Everything he had ever done in his life had just been expected of him. It was strange.

Giving her a slight nod, he said "Alright Granger, are you ready?"

The answer she wanted to give was 'no'. Going to her family's cabin was going to only bring her more pain. Leaving her family home for who knows how long wasn't easy either. She knew there was a possibility she may never come back as well. But she couldn't dwell on these thoughts at the moment. Getting them both to somewhere safe was what she had to keep at the forefront of her mind.

"Yes, I'm ready. I just need to grab one more thing." Hermione walked to one of the cupboards and took out a blue tin in the shape of a hexagon. She carefully opened it and saw a whole stack of worn index cards with the family recipes on them. Holding back more tears, she placed the box inside her bag as well.

"Alright then. Let's go." She walked over to Draco who had been watching her movements. Although that infamous hard exterior still seemed to be covering him, she couldn't help but feel pieces of it had started to fall away. His eyes were still grey, but they didn't look as cold. At least not to her.

"Can I help you with something?" Draco arched an eyebrow at the gazing witch.

Shaking her head she said "No. Nothing. Let's just get going." She gripped her wand and bag tightly as she held on to Draco. And whether she meant to or not, instead of holding his arm, she had reached for his hand. Which he was unsure himself, if he even realized, took hers without hesitation.

* * *

Note: I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! I really loved reading the reviews from the last chapter. I told myself before I started writing this fanfic that I had a goal of having 50 followers by the end of this story. I'm only on chapter 8 and I have already reached that goal. I am SO SO SO EXCITED and grateful to everyone who has followed, favorited and/or reviewed my story. Thank you guys so much.

Starting Monday I am sadly back to school so my updates will be a little longer than a week now. I'm guessing 10-14 days, but hopefully this semester won't be too bad and I can post it sooner. I made this chapter a little bit longer to hopefully make up for the longer wait time for the next one :)

(On a side note, I was finally able to get my third Harry Potter related tattoo this week and I'm SO pumped. Not many of my friends can appreciate it because they aren't as in love with the stories as I am, but I thought I could share my happiness with you guys!)

The story I mention (The Hound of the Baskervilles) is by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I am a huge Sherlock Holmes fan!

 _Toujours._


	9. Chapter 9: Tension

**Wounded**

Chapter 9: Tension

Night had already fallen when the two companions arrived at the cabin. Draco released Hermione's hand once his eyes began to adjust to the darkness that had settled onto the forest. The strong smell of pine and lilies hit him hard. The air was crisp and clean, almost too pure compared to where they had just come from. Looking up, he was able to gaze at the night sky that was littered with stars.

 _I could get used to this._

Draco lowered his head when he noticed Hermione quickly beginning to walk towards a long, dirt road. He started to follow her, asking "You still doing alright?"

Hermione's wand was out in front of her, guiding her way up the drive. Taking a deep breath, she answered "I'm fine, we should just start making our way to the cabin. It's tucked back a little ways. Once we are there, I'll want to place some protection charms. I doubt anyone would find us here, but we can't risk it."

She was trying to keep busy, to keep her mind occupied by anything but the pain that was trying to invade it. Making lists in her head on what she needed to get done was helping.

 _Place charms... put away food... set up rooms... what else?_

Glancing over to look at her face, Draco could tell she wasn't actually alright, far from it. But she was putting on a good show. He noticed she had started to chew the inside of her cheek again. He knew she was trying to be strong.

 _But you can't hold this act forever._

Just up ahead, he noticed her family's cabin was starting to come into view. Even though it was dark, the light coming from the clear night sky allowed him to see the large two story, log cabin, decorated with stone. On one of its sides, the wraparound porch and large bay windows were overlooking the dense forest that seemed never ending. The dirt road had now turned into a paved driveway, allowing their footsteps to echo into the woods.

A little shocked at what he was seeing, he asked "This is your vacation home?"

As Draco continued to study the house he, for once, didn't notice Hermione's cheeks start to turn a deep shade of red. She heard his surprised tone and she had a feeling she knew why. It wasn't so much about that it was a nice house, she suspected it was the fact that someone with her blood status could have a place like this. They were walking up to the front door now as she reached inside her bag to find the keys, using the light from her wand to help.

With a small bite to her words, she replied " Yes, it is. Are you going to make some snide comment about how it's impossible for parents of a 'Mudblood' to have a house like this-"

"Stop" Draco said firmly, his hand slicing through the air to cut her off. While it may have been true that he was shocked that what he had been brought up to think was being proven wrong again and again, he was trying to learn how to swallow this hard lesson. And hearing her use such a word still didn't sit well with him. Finally noticing her flushed cheeks in the soft glow of her _Lumos_ charm, he knew she was talking his surprised words as an insult.

"All I meant was I wasn't expecting to come to a place as nice as this. Actually," he paused noticing her demeanor change. "It reminds me of somewhere my mother and I use to go when I was young. When my dad was... off doing his own thing, we use to sneak away to visit it." Watching her dark red cheeks turn to a soft blushed color, he held back a small smile.

 _I may not exactly know why yet Granger, but for some reason I really do like this new color._

Hermione felt embarrassed. She had jumped to the wrong conclusion about his question and had snapped at him. The anger she had started to feel had now quickly turned to regret. He was staring at her, his grey eyes still not seeming as cold as they had been in the past.

 _It's strange. This isn't the same person I have known for the past six years. Not only has he stayed, but he actually seems to care about something other than himself. What's even more strange is the fact that... I'm almost glad he hasn't left yet. I don't think I could have done this alone._

Looking away from him, she quietly said "I'm sorry Draco-"

"Listen" he sighed as he folded his arms. "Don't worry about apologizing." Unfortunately he knew he was partially to blame for her actions. _We all know I've given you a reason to think this way._

"Just promise me one thing" he said, watching her amber eyes glance back up at him in confusion. "Stop using that word to describe yourself. It bothers me."

As Hermione watched him push back his silvery hair, she stood there stunned. "But you've called me-"

"I know, I know" he said as he waved his hand. "Just promise me you'll stop."

The question Hermione desperately wanted to ask was on the tip of her tongue. _But why?_ She wanted to press it further, but the distant sound of an owl startled her, causing her to drop her bag on the ground with a loud thud. Quickly picking it up, she resumed looking for her keys knowing they should probably get inside. For the moment, she simply replied "Alright, I promise."

Draco was enjoying watching her become flustered, almost nervous for some reason at his request. Chuckling, he finally saw her give up in frustration and use an unlocking charm to open the door.

Stepping inside, she thought to herself _I probably should have just done that in the first place. I can't even think straight. Why does he care, and why does knowing that he cares make me so flustered?_

But that strange feeling was quickly overtaken by a different one. The moment she stepped inside, all her childhood memories quickly came flooding back. It felt strange to be here without her parents, almost wrong. For just a moment on the front porch while talking to Draco, the pain she had been trying to keep out seemed to be a little easier to keep at bay. But now that she was inside, it was becoming increasingly harder to keep it away. Tears were starting to form in the corners of her eyes, but she still refused to let them fall.

Draco followed Hermione inside. The light from her wand only allowed him to see a small portion of the front of the house. It was a large, tiled foyer with rooms to the left and right of him and a hallway and stair case straight ahead. The stone and wood decorated the interior just as it did on the outside. When he turned to look at her, he noticed the glossy appearance to her eyes. Tightening his jaw, he wondered if he should ask her again if she was really alright. But before he could, she started to turn to walk back outside.

"I'm going to go put a few protective spells around the property" she said as she tightened her hold on her wand. "If you could, just keep the lights off until I get back. The nearest house isn't for miles, but just in case I don't want anyone seeing that someone is here." Her voice was starting to tremble, but she held it together. _Now is not the time Hermione. There are still things that need to be done._

He didn't like the idea of her going out into the woods alone. "Like hell you're going out there by yourself. Just let me come with you-"

"No" she quickly said. "No, really, I'll be ok. I won't be long."

He watched her give a slight nod to him before disappearing back outside, taking the only light source with her. Thinking about using his own wand, he decided against it. She had a point about not wanting to attract any unwanted attention and having more light than needed wasn't the best idea. With the great many windows the house had though, it wasn't too difficult for Draco to start exploring. The light from night sky was flooding in, trying to reach where ever it could. Deciding to go straight down the hallway, he slowly made his way past the stair case and into a large living and eating area. The double French doors leading out onto a terrace illuminated most of the area. A stone fireplace sat in the corner to the left of him with a large eat in kitchen to the right. Even though he had only been inside for a few minutes, he could feel the warm, inviting tone of the house. The walls were covered in family pictures. Cozy, plush furniture surrounded the fireplace with wooden accent pieces to accompany them.

 _And of course, there's a large amounts of books everywhere you look. I should have expected as much._

He walked over to the doors leading to the back and pushed them open. Stepping outside, the cool night air sent a rush of unexpected adrenaline throughout his body. He walked over and rested his elbows on the balcony, staring out into the dark abyss of the forest. The back of the house sat on a hill with the ground sloping down and losing itself in the tress.

 _I know it couldn't have been easy for you to come here Granger, not to a place where there's probably memories of you parents around every corner. But you damn Gryffindor's and your constant need to put on a brave face. You may be convincing yourself at the moment that you're not hurting, but you sure as hell are not fooling me._

He turned back to look at the house, leaning now against the wooden rails. He was still marveling at the size of the house they had just come too.

 _I definitely wasn't expecting this. The warm, welcoming, family feeling it gives off while still having an air of wealth... it's intriguing. It may not be anywhere close to the size of the manor, but this place sure does have one thing it doesn't. This is what a home should feel like._

* * *

Hermione had just finished putting the last of her protective spells around the house and was walking back towards the front door. She had placed a decent sized barrier around the house which including the cellar, the gardens and a small pond her dad had put in years ago for ice skating in the winter. As she walked past a large willow tree that sat at the edge of the water, she stopped for a moment. The low hanging braches were just grazing the top of the water, creating small ripples each time the wind blew through them. The glow from the moon was bouncing off the reflective surface, casting shadows across the lawn.

A small smile began to spread across her face _. I can't begin to count the number of times you guys had to drag me inside at night from this tree. I would always ask for just one more chapter. I could usually convince you dad, but mum would be a bit more tough to crack._

A single tear started to roll down her cheek. Her chest began to tighten as she closed her eyes to keep any more from escaping.

"I should have been there. I should have just come home to make sure you guys were safe. I'm.. I'm so sorry." She gripped her wand tighter.

The pain had been building since stepping foot inside the cabin. She had been able to resist giving into it, but it was becoming harder and harder. Her body was beginning to tremble. Wanting to give in to the terrible ache in her chest, she quickly opened her eyes.

"No. No not here, not yet. Just hold it together just a little longer." She turned to start heading back up to the house. _You still have things to get done._

Heading through the front door, she made her way into the kitchen and sat her bag down on the cool slate countertop. It didn't take her long to see that Draco had made his way out onto the balcony. Looking through the kitchen window, she began to study him. Watching him lean over the railing, his silvery hair almost shined in the moon light. It felt strange to have him as a companion. He had always been an enemy, someone who had made her life harder. But now here he was, hiding out with her and even helping her.

 _That night in front of the fire, we never really were able to talk about it. Not only was he letting his guard down, he was almost tender, warm to me. And I let him, I think I even wanted more from him. There's no denying he's attractive but, this is Draco we are talking about here._

Shaking her head, her stomach began to flutter with nerves. _It didn't mean anything. He was drunk, you weren't thinking and I'm sure he has only stayed because he has nowhere else to go. I'm sure he doesn't actually care about you personally. Why would he?_

She grabbed her bag and began to take the food out of it, needing something to distract her. With a flick of her wand, everything began to place itself in the correct place in the kitchen. Once the last cupboard door was shut, she pressed her palms against the edge of the counter and closed her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she tried to relax her tired mind when the opening of the French doors caused her to jump.

"I was about to go looking for you Granger." Draco shut the door behind him, noticing she looked a little shaken. "Everything go alright out there?"

Hermione tucked her curls behind her ear, watching the concerned wizard approach her _. But he does cares though. He hasn't stayed out of necessity, at least I'm pretty sure that's not the reason. Something's different that's for sure, I just don't know why._

Nodding her head, she replied "Yes, you just startled me was all. I'm not a huge fan of surprises. I've put up a good number of spells to help keep us safe and hidden. I also still have my Sneakoscope with me we can use too."

She was feeling the weight of the events of the day starting to take its toll on her body. Wanting to lay down and rest, she started to walk around the kitchen island. "It's pretty late though, I was thinking of heading up stairs and getting to bed. If you follow me, I can show you where you can stay. The food is already put away so just help yourself."

Draco knew he should probably eat something. It had been over a day since he really had anything, but it didn't seem that important at the moment. His body was exhausted from the lack of sleep and wanted nothing more than to try and rest. "I'm good, I'll just follow you upstairs."

As Hermione flicked her wand, a few of the interior lights turned on. She started to walk down the hallway to the stairs case. Trying to avoid glancing at all the family pictures that hung on the walls, she kept her gaze straight ahead. But even avoiding the inevitable, she knew each picture that had been placed up by heart.

First was a wedding picture of her parents. Her mother's vintage, cream colored dress went beautifully with her blush rose and hydrangea bouquet. Hermione had always admired her gown, telling her she would pick the same colors for her wedding some day. The next few pictures were of Hermione at different ages. One was of her first day of primary school and another was the day she had received her Hogwarts acceptance letter. The rest were of her and her parents on family vacations or trips to the theatre. All of these pictures had been the same for years now. Never once could Hermione remember a picture being taken off the wall, only more pictures being added. Her father uses to tease her mother, saying she was a pack rat when it came to photographs. But she would always tell him she was 'simply a collector of memories'.

Draco was following behind Hermione, noticing her shoulders tense up as they walked. He watched her soft curls bounce off them with each step. As they began to walk up the oaken staircase, he rubbed the back of his neck, working his fingers deep into the muscles.

 _I guess mine are pretty tense too. Sitting in that damn shower for hours didn't really help matters. Could definitely use one to help me relax right now though... that or a stiff drink._

Coming up to the top of the stairs, Hermione stopped on the landing to wait for Draco to catch up. Still trying to avoid looking at any pictures, she kept her eyes busy by looking at each door. There were four doors total. The one on the left side was to the master bedroom, the one at the very end of the hall was a small library, the one farthest on the right was to the guest room and the closest to the right was hers.

Once Draco was finally standing next to her, she glanced over to look at him. "If it's alright with you, I'd rather skip the tour and I can show you around tomorrow."

Lowering his hand from his neck, he turned to the witch and gave a slight nod. "No need for formalities Granger."

A small laugh escaped Hermione. "If you insist. Well the guest room is that door on the right down the hallway. There's a guest bath in your room as well if you need to change-" Hermione paused.

Draco was almost to the door when he turned to question the witch's sudden hesitation. He watched as she quickly opened her bag to start rummaging around for something. "Just what in the hell are you doing?"

"I just realized you weren't able to grab any of your belongings at Snape's." She was still looking furiously through her bag. "But I think I have something that may help you."

Raising an eye brow, he watched her search through her curious purse. He had thought about this dilemma once he had used a drying charm the other day when getting out of the shower. He hadn't really figured out what he was going to do about not having any change of clothes. When she pulled out another black bag, he was even more confused. "What's that?"

Hermione handed him the bag she had retrieved. "Here" she stated. "I couldn't sleep one night while we were at Snape's and I started to look around. I found a bunch of old clothes in one of the closets in my room and thought I would borrow them in case they might come in handy."

 _Really, they are for Harry and Ron once I find them. I'm sure where ever they are they didn't have much time to pack anything before escaping those Death Eaters. But at the moment, he seems to need them more. It's partially my fault he doesn't have any of his belongings anyways._

Draco stared at the bag in amazement. Grinning, he reached out and took it from her. "How very Slytherin of you if I do say." He knew what he was doing the moment the words left his mouth. Watching as her cheeks instantly flush red, he enjoyed seeing a little bit of bite fill her eyes again.

"Excuse me?" Her eyes widened with irritation. "What is that suppose to mean?"

"I wouldn't take it as an insult you know. Hell, coming from me you should almost take that as a compliment. I do believe resourcefulness and cleverness are some of the many wonderful traits of my house though. "

Hermione's heart was starting to pound harder and harder in her chest. She narrowed her eyes onto him. "You know if we are being honest here, you've been showing a bit of Gryffindor qualities yourself these past few days. I thought it was pretty brave of you to come with me when I was looking for my parents. Not to mention you staying and helping me could almost come across as being a bit honorable don't you think?"

Draco's jaw clenched. _Damn. I guess that doesn't feel like a compliment._ Even though tension had settled itself between the two of them, Draco could help but snicker.

Hermione was confused. "What's so funny?"

Feeling this type of excitement between them was refreshing. It had been awhile since they had had a decent arguing match with each other and he was finally seeing the feisty witch he knew her to be. But hearing her say how what he had done was for her made Draco feel a little uneasy. He hadn't been sure why he had helped her, it definitely wasn't like him to help anyone.

Wanting to get away from this subject, he merely waved his hand and continued towards his bedroom. "Nothing Granger. Now didn't you say you were tired? I say we call it a night." He reached for the door knob and began to open it. "And you still need to tell me what you keep in that bloody bag of yours sometime."

As she watched Draco disappeared into the guest room, she yelled "We really need to work on saying thank you!"

 _Prick._ Standing in the empty hallway, Hermione sighed. Clutching her beaded bag, she felt a small smile form at the corners of her lips. _That did feel sort of good though._

But the feeling of satisfaction didn't last long. She suddenly realized how oddly quiet the house seemed to be. The sounds of classical music usually filled the halls at night when her father would retire to the library with a book and a night cap. Most nights were spent falling asleep to Beethoven's Fifth Symphony or one of Mozart's many sonatas. It had become so routine for her to fall asleep listening to them during the holidays, she had a hard time sleeping without it when returning to school. The eeriness of the silence sent shivers down her spine. Turning to head to her own room, she stopped just before opening the door.

She knew if she fully submerged herself in the pain that had been bearing down on her all day she would surely drown. But not being able to at least attempt to stay afloat was even more difficult. Knowing she had to start trying to survive what had happened to her parents sooner or later, she instead turned from her door and headed towards her parents room.

"Just for tonight" she whispered. Surrounding herself with memories and belongings of theirs would be difficult, but she needed to start somewhere. But above all, she just wanted to feel connected with them again.

As Hermione pushed her parent's bedroom door open, the faint smell of her mother's rose perfume hit her. Stepping inside, she quietly closed it behind her. Taking a step further into their room, she quickly placed a silencing charm before her hot tears were able to reach the floor.

* * *

Draco laid on the cool, gold colored comforter that lay on his bed. He had turned on a small reading lamp in the corner before his body gave in to exhaustion. He was sure that sleep would have found him tonight after everything that had happened over the last few days, but no matter how hard he tried, it still avoided him. Turning to look at the time, he saw that only an hour had gone by since he last checked. "Fuck, could you go any slower?"

He turned back to stare up at the wooden canopy that was draped with cream colored fabric. Frustrated that he couldn't sleep, he sat up on the bed and looked around the rather large guest room. Two night stands accompanied the bed with a small sitting area to his right. Straight ahead was a dresser with a large box sitting on top of it he assumed was a some sort of muggle object. To his left was the guest bathroom where he had dropped the bag Hermione had given him.

Letting off a long sigh, Draco began to press the tips of his fingers against his shoulders, feeling his tense muscles under them. "Maybe a shower would help, couldn't hurt." He left the bed and headed for the bath.

Flicking his wand, the shower steamed to life. The bathroom began to cloud with steam as he stripped of his clothes and made his way into the charcoal grey tiled tub. A deep groan escaped his mouth as the hot water hit his worn out body. The heat almost made him feel more alive than tired. Pushing away his blonde hair, he closed his eyes and placed his hands on the wall to allow the water to run down his neck and back. He stood here for almost twenty minutes hoping the hot water would melt away some of the tension.

As he slowly opened his eyes, a thick wall of mist had filled the room. Although the water was starting to calm his body, it allowed his tired mind to think.

His last conversation with Hermione filled his mind. _Telling me I've been acting like one of those sodding Gryffindors, how disgusting. It's not like I really had a choice, there wasn't any way I could just leave her like that._

But he wasn't convincing himself of this. He knew he did have a choice, he could have ran and left her alone. But for some reason even though every muscle in his body had been telling him to go, something else was telling him to stay.

Standing straight, he let off a frustrated scoff. _Why the hell do I care? I shouldn't give a damn about helping her, so why do I?_

Even though he hated himself at the moment, he couldn't help but also think about seeing her spark come back, even if it was for just a second. The way her eyes lit up, almost speaking for themselves, told him all he needed to know about how she felt. But the way she was able to hold her own in a fight, verbal or otherwise, gave him hope that even though it may take her a little while to recovery, she wasn't completely lost to the darkness.

As Draco thought about how he had just seen her, the same excited feeling he had experienced before in the shower slowly began to tingle below his abdomen. The pleasure of seeing her cheeks flush and hearing her quick tongue was all that was needed to arouse him.

"Damn it, not again." His growing bulge was causing his stress to return. It had been far too long since he had been able to find some type of release. He was trying hard to think of something, anything else to help give him the escape he so desperately needed, but the same image of Hermione wouldn't leave him.

Knowing he would hate himself later for it, he couldn't hold out any longer. He had to let off some tension and at the moment, she was the best option.

Closing his eyes, he let his wandering mind fully take him. Grabbing his erection, he slowly began to work it up and down until he was fully hard. On the back of his lids, her was starting to see the fiery witch. Her honey colored eyes almost screamed with excitement and furry. He could almost imagine the smell of strawberries coming from her body, filling his senses with the sweet and juicy scent he desperately wanted to take a bite of.

As her cheeks began to take up that red hue he liked so much, a low, guttural moan escaped his throat. Now with one hand bracing himself against the warm tiled wall, he started to stroke his length in a quicker and tighter motion. The pressure was building and he knew his release would come soon. It had been confined for too long now, he had just needed a way to unleash it.

Until recently, he had never seen her in her muggle clothes. He had no idea what had been hidden underneath the robes she wore at school. He now pictured her wearing the dark green sweater he had thought suited her so well the other week. But now that it was on her, he wanted to do nothing more than to take it off. As he imagined her slowly pulling it over her head, the delicate curves of her chest began to peak out of the bottom of the sweater, causing another low moan to fall from his lips.

Clenching his jaw, his breathing was becoming quick, almost in time with the rhythm of his strokes. His chest was tightening as his fingers flexed on the slippery wall. Knowing he needed to stay as quiet as possible, he bit his lip, hoping to trap any sounds that may erupt from his mouth.

As he watched Hermione pull the barrier between his eyes and her skin away, he finally saw what sent him over the edge. She was standing there facing him topless, but the fire that had blushed her cheeks had now turned to a soft pink, timid hue. The dangerously tempting look of her shyness mixed with wanting him to see her sent him over the edge. With one, two, three more firm stokes he reached his climax. His whole body trembled as the pressure that had been building for weeks finally escaped. Slowly releasing his still quivering member, he placed both hands on the wall to steady himself.

As the hot water continued to rush over him, he slowly opened his eyes. " _Fuck_."

* * *

Hermione's eyes shot open. She could still see the pools of blood that had just startled her awake while her parents cries echoed in her ears. Slightly trembling, she sat herself up in the bed. Dried tears still clung to her lashes as she tried to wipe the fresh one away. She had cried herself to sleep sometime during the night, but with the low level of morning light shining through the windows, she knew she hadn't been able to find much.

She had spent most of the night with her hands pressed against her damp cheeks, finally able to let out some of her anguish that she had kept locked up. When she was finally able to gather herself, she spent some time looking at her parents belongs they always kept at the cabin. A pair of her father's reading glasses laid next to the bed along with her mother's shadow box of sea shells. Hermione had laid out the shells on the bed one by one and could remember where and when each one was picked up. Every time her family would go on vacation to a different beach, Hermione and her mother would spend as much time as needed to find the perfect, most unique shell in the sand and take it home with them. Each one had its own story on how they chose that specific one, and she relived those memories again and again until her eyes were too full of tears to see them anymore. After placing the shells back into their container, she went over to her mother's closet and pulled out one of the many photo albums she kept.

This is where she found herself as she sat up, surrounded by pictures of her past. With a heavy chest, she flicked her wand and the pictures placed themselves back in the pages and were put back in the closet where they belonged. Not being able to look at them anymore, she reached for her bag and found her soap and shampoo. Slowly, she began to make her way to the master bath to shower. She needed to wash away the layers of pain and misery that had built up on her skin over night, hoping to avoid Draco seeing her in such a state again.

Stepping into the steaming shower, the moment the hot water hit her cold skin she could feel some of her torment being rinsed away. The water slightly burned as it reached her hands where she had scrubbed her skin raw the night before trying to remove her parent's blood.

Slightly wincing, she made a mental note to heal those areas when she was able. As she stood in the shower, she began to gently rub the sweet smell of her soap into her strained skin. The sugary smell of the room was overwhelmingly needed, letting herself succumb to the almost blissful aroma. As she ran her fingers through her delicate, wet curls, her wandering mind landed on a question that had been bothering her.

 _I still don't understand why Draco seems so different. It almost felt like he was avoiding me last night instead of holding his ground. He never backs away from a fight, especially if someone were to call him a Gryffindor._

Letting the soap run down her long, shapely legs, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. _There's no way he actually cares about me though. That would be insane._

Rinsing off the rest of the soap, she turned the water off and grabbed a towel to wrap in. She stepped out of the shower and tip toed to the mirror leaving a small trail of water droplets behind her. Flicking her wand, the steam that had collected on the mirror had vanished and she was able to fully see herself.

She noticed she looked a little pale except for the light purple blotches under her eyes. She knew she needed to eat something today, even if it was just something small. As her mind wandered back to the question at hand, a small flip of her stomach made her freeze. _Do I want him to care about me? He's never made my life very easy until now. I feel like it shouldn't matter if he does or doesn't. Really, we are just two people on the run who happen to be stuck with each other..._

But for some reason it felt more than that to her. Sure they had been forced into this 'relationship', but it had grown from being stuck with someone she thought she despised to someone who had been there for her when she needed it most.

Shutting her eyes and shaking her head, she tried to empty these thoughts from her mind but before she could, the image of Draco's inviting grey eyes and handsome jaw line refilled it. As her stomach decided to do another quick flip, she opened her eyes to see that her pale complexion was now flushed with a light pink glow.

Eyes wide, she said "There's no way... no, absolutely no way that I care if he actually does care about me. He hasn't changed that much." _Like I said, this is all just out of necessity._

Still unable to fully convince herself of this, she waved her wand to help dry off and left the bathroom to change and head down stairs _. Just look in his eyes again, you'll see. There will be nothing there except the cold, grey stare you have always seen in the past._

Half hoping she was right, she pulled out a pair of jeans and a form fitting tank top from her bag. As she changed, a mixture of nerves, excitement and confusion began to course through her body.

 _I don't know which is worse, being nervous to see his frosty grey stare or being worried that it really is still there._

* * *

After Draco's self hating shower, he found it surprisingly easy to finally find sleep. His body hadn't felt this relaxed in weeks. He had left the shower in nothing but a towel and had collapsed onto the cool covers of the bed before quickly falling asleep. The sounds of running water had woke him up almost ten minutes ago, but he still hadn't gotten out of bed yet.

As he lay there ,he realized for the first time in a very long time he hadn't woken up to the sounds of his mother screaming or the visions of a bright green light. No matter how hard he tried, Draco wasn't able to remember having any nightmares. He found this very odd. But his strange thoughts soon ventured to his even more confusing late night actions.

Groaning in frustration, he rubbed his eyes trying to erase the memory from his mind. "What the fuck was that? You tossed off to _Hermione Granger_ , the one girl in all of Hogwarts you've said you've despised the most and then you do this?" He felt light headed. All the energy he had found in sleep was now fueling his frustration.

 _It meant nothing, it was just a need I had to fill to let off some stress. Like hell I could actually be attracted to her._

Almost needing to prove it to himself that his needed release was nothing more than a selfish endeavor, he grabbed the bag of clothes Hermione had given him. Finding black slacks and a black button up, he changed and headed toward the bedroom door.

"There's nothing to worry about, it's just in your head. Helping her and sticking around was nothing more than a means to help myself find shelter, that's all."

Clenching his teeth he turned the knob to start heading downstairs. _That has to be all._

* * *

As Draco descended down the stairs, the delicious smell of food hit him the moment he landed on the first floor. A sharp pain in his stomach reminded him of just how long it had been since he had had food. Slicking back his mussed hair, he walked into the open kitchen to find Hermione putting the finishing touches on breakfast. But instead of eyeing the teasing plates of food that she had prepared, they wandered to her fresh, dewy skin. Her choice of a tank top began to make Draco's mind wander. Her visible arms, neck and chest confirmed what his imagination had filled in for him the night before.

 _Damn it Granger_.

Hermione was so lost in her own thoughts, she hadn't heard Draco walk into the kitchen. She was too busy trying to make her mum's infamous morning breakfasts and was too nervous about seeing Draco that once she finally notice him staring at her she jumped.

"Draco!" she screamed. Startled by the blonde wizard's stare, she dropped the glass dish she had been placing back in the cupboard. "Honestly, make some noise next time or something."

As she bent down to start picking up the shattered pieces, he smirked as the tension he knew so well started to settle between them again. Her words had that sting to them he liked to hear. "A little jumpy are we this morning?"

Hermione was flustered. She had been so worried about seeing Draco her nerves were a bit on edge. "No, it's not that. I told you I just don't like being surprised is all." As she gathered the glass shards, she glanced up to see Draco still staring at her. Noticing him push back his silver hair and the slight scruff on his face, she couldn't help the next thought that popped into her head.

 _Merlin he looks good... bollocks._

Distracted, her hand slipped and a sharp edge sliced her palm. " _Damn it_ " she hissed.

"Really Granger, you would think someone as smart as you would be a little bit more careful? Why didn't you just use you wand?" He crouched down next to the bleeding witch and grabbed her hand.

The cut stung as she felt the hot trickle of blood begin to slide down her wrist. The moment the first drop hit the white floor, she closed her eyes and turned. Horrible flash backs were flooding her mind. The memories of blood splattered walls was causing panic to build in her chest.

But suddenly the panic stopped, almost retreating back to the dark corners where it lived. She could feel Draco's firm touch, causing her eyes to snap back open. Turning to look back at him, she was meet with those grey eyes she had been waiting to see. _This is what I was worried about._

Draco held out her injured hand in front of him. "Stop fidgeting and I'll be able to heal it." As he reached for his wand in his back pocket, he looked up from the deep cut. His chest tightened. The dangerously timid look on her face that had sent him over the edge last night was staring back at him. The tension that had been in the room was still there, but it was now changing. It wasn't the same sharp witted, hold your own in an argument type.

 _No... this is something else.. but what the fuck is it?_

But the answer was there staring him in the face. No matter how hard he fought it, he knew. The tension had now become sexual.

* * *

Note: I'm so excited to be posting another chapter! It felt so weird not posting one the other week. But school is definitely back to ruling my life -_-

I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter. It was longer than normal again, but hopefully it all flowed well together. I did mentioned Beethoven and Mozart. I love listening to classical music. It's what I have on usually when I write or study :)

On a more somber note, I just wanted to take a moment to remember the late, great Alan Rickman. He was such an amazing actor in everything he did. Reading Harry Potter was a such a huge part of my childhood. He was able to help bring those books that brought so much joy to my life alive. The movies wouldn't have been the same without him.

I should have another chapter up in about another 2 weeks or so! Thank you for all the amazing reviews!

 _Toujours._


	10. Chapter 10: Taste

**Wounded**

Chapter 10: Taste

Draco was still tightly holding Hermione's hand, unable to look away from her fear stricken eyes. He had almost been expecting to see frustration or even disgust towards him for taking her arm without permission. But instead her eyes were filled with panic, almost needing something from him again. No matter how hard he tried or how confused he was, he couldn't look away from her.

As the heat from the blood ran down Hermione's arm and the hold Draco had on her tightened, she could feel her pulse pounding in her throat. She had been wanting to see Draco's eyes, to be able to study them. And now that she was face to face with him it didn't take her long to answer the question that had set her nerves on edge in the first place.

 _There they are. Concerned, caring, genuine. Are they grey? Yes.. Are they making you question everything you have ever thought about him? Yes... But are they cold?... No... no they are definitely not cold._

As Draco continued to wonder why he felt a small amount of pleasure from thinking she did need something from him again, the deep wound from the glass began to allow her blood to trickle down onto his skin. The warmth he felt from it startled him out of his trance. Noticing the glistening pool on the floor had grown in size, it caused him to realize just how much time had passed since his wandering mind had taken him.

 _Shit. Why didn't she say anything?_

Quickly placing his wand over her hand, he began to mutter a healing charm. With the injury being somewhat deep, it took him a few minutes to fully stop the flow of blood and close it. Draco could feel the cadence of her breaths quicken with each gulp of air she took. They brushed across his neck, making his whole body shudder. He was finding it somewhat difficult to keep his concentration as her sweet scent began to intoxicate him.

Hermione continued to study Draco, keeping her questioning eyes on him rather than her hand. The sharp sting that had quickly paralyzed her was now being soothed, sending cool sensations up her arm. The sudden relief was almost overwhelming for her. Her chest began to tighten causing her to take quick, shallow breaths. Her mind was swarming with questions, all of which had no answers.

 _What in Merlin's name is going on here? I think I'm actually relived to see they aren't unwelcoming or cold. In fact, they are quite the opposite._

As Draco finished healing her injury, he was about to let her hand go when he noticed her slightly wince as she flexed it. Confused on why she was still feeling pain, he studied her hand carefully again and flipped it over. Noticing some areas of her skin that seemed to have been abraded away, he was about to question her on why her hands were so raw when he quickly remembered.

 _Shit. It must have been from the other night. I thought for sure she was going to scrub her skin clean off before she would let up._

Feeling as though he couldn't allow her hands to be in such pain, Draco still avoided looking up to meet her eyes and simply said "Give me your other hand Granger."

Hermione could remember only a handful of times in her life that left her lost for words, and this now happened to be one of them. Without hesitation, she slowly knelt all the way to the floor and gave her other hand over to him. Watching Draco flip it over as well, her eyes widened in amazement.

 _He's healing everything, because he wants to and not because I asked... He really does care._

As she watched him mutter the last healing charm, she followed the tips of his fingers as they grazed the surface of her skin, almost as if checking to make sure they were as they should be. Even though the sensations of the healing charm were making her body tremble in comfort, she had a feeling it wasn't the only reason.

After another wave of his wand, Draco was finally pleased with how her hands now looked. With one last _swish_ , the pool of blood vanished leaving the crisp, white floors clean again. Knowing he couldn't avoid her stare forever, he glanced back up at the very confused looking witch. Clenching his jaw, he slowly lowered his wand to his side as he balanced himself on his knees. The succulent scent was still driving him crazy and the vulnerable look she was displaying wasn't helping.

 _I swear to Salazar if she doesn't do something soon I may just actually take that bite._

Hermione still kept her hands raised. The warmth she had felt from Draco's touch was gone, but it had still not left his eyes. Needing to look away, her gaze fell upon her healed wounds.

Unsure of exactly what to say to him, she slightly grinned and lifted her eyes back onto his. "So, you actually do know how to use a healing charm then."

Draco couldn't help but let off a small chuckle. Shaking his head he said "And you say I'm the one who needs to work on saying 'thank you'." Grinning back at her, he watched as she tried to suppress a laugh while she began to stand.

"Thank you Draco, really." Reaching for her wand on the counter, she used a _Reparo_ charm to finish cleaning the broken glass. "I'm sure you're as hungry as I am. Please help yourself, I'm just going to finish putting these dishes away."

Following her gesture to the food she had prepared, Draco's stomach eagerly reminded him he was quit hungry. But unable to stop himself, he watch her auburn curls bounced off the bare skin of her shoulders as he stood from the floor.

 _Damn it, this is the opposite of why you came down here._

Quickly averting his eyes on to the stack of toast in front of him, he teasingly asked "You do realize that wand of yours can also put away dishes and not just fix them right?"

"I do" she said with a smile as she placed the remaining silverware in a drawer. Feeling the corners of her lips rise was an unexpected surprise. Although she knew he was baiting her, it felt more relaxed, more natural, almost playful.

Turning to face him, she countered "And you do realize that you called me smart? Almost sounded like you meant it too.." She tried to hide a smirk as she watched him almost fumble his toast.

Draco knew he had called her smart, and meant it. It was never a debate for him whether or not he found her intelligent. She was the only one who could ever beat him on an exam and though he would never admit it to anyone, he had always found her intelligence attractive. The real reason for his outward annoyance whenever she did out score him came from knowing that his father would not be pleased. Whether it came with a punishment or not, he always hated having to hear the same lecture again and again. His father's words were always along the same lines, something about how Draco was disgracing the family name and how ashamed he was that a 'Mudblood' like her could beat his pureblood son.

His mother tried to cut in once, trying to reason with her husband that Draco far excited the rest of the class's scores still. But that only happened once. His father made sure she fully understood how it was as much her fault as it was Draco's that she raised him to be such a poor excuse of a son. Draco could take the harsh words and whatever punishment his father saw fit, but seeing his mother punished for his failures was a different matter. Draco made sure his mother knew how much he appreciated her trying to help, but insisted she stay out of this matter. He couldn't live with himself knowing his mistakes caused her pain as well.

Going back to eating his toast, he waved his wand and the empty mug in front of him filled with steaming water. Placing a tea bag into the cup, he casually said "Don't let it go to your head Granger. Like I also said, somehow being as smart as you are you somehow thought it was a good idea to pick up all that glass by hand when you could have easily used your wand."

Hermione rolled her eyes, but knew she had caught him. His need to be so nonchalant about the matter proved that he didn't want to make a big deal about letting another compliment slip. Placing the last dish back into the cupboard, she replied "And this is coming from the person who thought it was a good idea to provoke a Hippogriff. We all saw how that turned out didn't we?"

Taking an abnormally longer sip of his tea, Draco eyed the cheeky witch. It felt strange the banter that had started between them. They were keeping each other on their toes, quick witted responses at the ready. But now, it wasn't so much that the other needed to have the last word or to make the other feel inadequate. It was different now. Watching her make a cup of tea as well and sitting at the opposite end of the island, he had a very strange thought.

 _Hell.. are we flirting with each other?_

He knew one way he could tell. Her blushing cheeks had always fascinated Draco, having learned the many shades of reds. Unfortunately, he knew some of his experiences with seeing this was because of the fact that he had been the one to cause her anger or pain. Calling her 'Mudblood' always tested her, but she always struck back with vengeance. He hated himself for once enjoying the satisfaction of being her discomfort.

Lately though, he had been seeing a new shade of pink that intrigued him, even enticed him. She had shown a genuine need for him as well, a need for his help and had been grateful. Her blush stained cheeks had become not only a fascination to him, but they fueled his imagination as well.

 _This is crazy, there's no way she could be flirting though. It doesn't make any fucking sense._

But as he set his cup down, the way she was looking at him made him think otherwise. Her teasing words and her amused, playful eyes seemed to speak for themselves.

 _But damn it she is flirting... I know I came down here to prove that there is no way I'm attracted to her but, hell color me curious. There's one way to know for sure..._

Lightly chuckling, Draco answered "No, I would say it wasn't my best moment. But at least I'm not like you and those two halfwit arses you call friends who seem to always want to go looking for trouble. I don't know what it is about you Gryffindors and needing to be so reckless. There are other ways to get noticed you know." Finishing off his breakfast he carefully watched the witch for the telltale sign. "Well, of course you know that. I mean, if I remember correctly, I think almost everyone's eyes made their way to you at one time or another the night of the Yule Ball."

In the span of less than an hour Hermione had now been lost for words twice. She could feel the blood rushing to her checks as she watched the devilishly handsome smile creep across Draco's face. As her chest tightened, she fought hard against asking the question that had popped into her mind the moment he had spoken those words.

 _Were you one of them?_

Needing to say something before that sentence fell from her mouth, she looked down at her stepping tea and tried to sound as relaxed as possible. "I don't know what you're talking about. And I'd ask you not to call Harry or Ron an arse, but I have a feeling it would be a waste of my breath."

Watching Hermione try and hold back a smile on her blush stained face was all Draco needed to know that he really could provoke something other than anger, sadness or frustration from her. His words could now make her speechless, bashful and

 _Happy... she actually looks happy for once..._

Draco had been so caught up in watching Hermione that he hadn't realized he had pushed up the sleeves of his shirt. He had become so relaxed now that he hadn't thought about what he had always hid underneath them.

Hermione's eyes were still watching her tea turn a warm honey color when she glanced up to look at Draco. In a instant, her heart jumped in surprise. Her eyes widened at the sight of his left forearm. There, branded in black was the Dark Mark. She was transfixed on it now, unable to look away.

Noticing her sudden change in demeanor, it took only a moment for Draco to realize what had caused the atmosphere to change. Looking down to his left, he saw it. The permanent life altering stain that would forever weigh on his soul. His heart sank as he looked back up to see the happiness that had been on Hermione's face had turned to shock. Unable to look at the sadness in her eyes for one more second, he clenched his fists and quickly stood from the table.

Before Hermione could say anything, she watched as Draco began to walk out of the room without a word and headed for the stairs. "Draco, wait.." but he had gone before she was able to say any more. She let out a defeated sigh and looked back down at her tea.

 _Bollocks._

She knew going after him was pointless. Hearing the door harshly slam upstairs just solidified this thought. Tucking back a few curls, she took a deep breath. "I definitely wasn't expecting that."

Reaching for her bag, she took out Dumbledore's book and her notes. _I really hope he doesn't hide out in his room all week like last time. Even if we sit in silence, it's better than being alone._

* * *

Hermione spent most of the day sitting outside, leaning against the familiar willow tree as she finished translating the book. She only thought to come inside when the sun had begun to set into the horizon. She had become so wrapped up in finishing the book that she had forgotten to make herself lunch or dinner, but she surprisingly wasn't very hungry. A few times she'd hoped that Draco would come out of the house looking for her, but no such luck was had. The warm breeze of the day helped calm her nerves about their next encounter. Knowing they would have to talk about what she had seen eventually, she was just hoping it wouldn't be awkward, and she hoped it would be sooner than later.

She had been a little taken aback when she saw it. But knowing everything she'd heard and seen these past few weeks, she had a feeling the mark was more of a burden to him than an 'honor' as other Death Eaters would say. Thinking back to what Draco confessed, about how Voldemort would kill him if he didn't go through with his mission, made Hermione's mind wander. What would she have done if she'd been in his place? From everything else she had heard, it didn't seem as if this life had been chosen by him, or his mother really. She also remembered Draco still didn't know she had been in the corridor that night, overhearing his conversation with Snape and how he couldn't go through with killing Professor Dumbledore. She wondered how he would feel if he knew that she saw him when he was most vulnerable, showing a side to him she had never witnessed before that night.

 _He looked so broken, so defeated and scared. He wasn't just trying to protect himself either. It seems he was trying to save his mother as well. I can't believe some of the things Bellatrix was saying, it's just disgusting._

She also thought about how strange it was that they had been having such a normal, relaxed, even friendly conversation. Unable to help herself, she had even playfully teased him with her words. Even more surprising was the fact that she enjoyed that he did it back.

 _I don't know what's wrong with me. Can I really be attracted to Draco? Seeing the Dark Mark was a bit shocking, but really I don't believe that's truly who he is. Not anymore._

As the warm summer air began to chill with the coming night, she stood and stretched her arms high, reaching up towards the sky. Looking out onto the pond, the rustling of the leaves and soft chirp of crickets eased her tired head. Even though she was exhausted, the fear of seeing her parents in her sleep again was enough to let her know it was going to be a long, sleepless night. Watching the last few rays of sun creep over the canopy of trees, she took a deep breath. The earthy, floral scents filled her lungs. She held it all in for a moment, enjoying the peacefulness of it all before turning to head inside.

 _You're going to stay strong tonight, for you and mum and dad. There are other things you have to start thinking about now._

But she knew that it was easier said than done. In the back of her mind she couldn't help but think that even though she prided herself on being strong, it was always easier to do when you weren't alone.

 _Please, just don't hide out for too long_.

* * *

Draco's eyes shot open as his body shook. His mother's final screams still rang in his ears as her dead body fell to the floor. Letting of a frustrated scoff, he sat himself up straight in the chair. He had fallen asleep in one of his rooms resting chairs with the book he had found splayed open on the floor. Noticing the room had grown considerably darker than when he had fallen asleep, he knew night had finally come

Arching his back and rolling his stiff shoulders, he muttered "I guess the nightmares are back. Couldn't stay away could you?"

Standing to move to sit on the bed, he wondered what Hermione was doing. The look on her face that morning made him realize that there was no way she could ever flirt with him, or need him for that matter. How could she when he bore the same mark as the soulless, evil vermin that killed her parents. The look of shock and sadness on her face said it all.

 _Here I thought I could actually make her feel something other than pain. Bloody hell, it seems all I ever do is leave people disappointed. Fuck me for thinking I could actually have a moment where my shitty past didn't finally catch up to me._

He didn't know how he would face her. Feeling as if she probably hated him again he knew his time hidden at her cottage was about to come to an end. Hating himself for letting his guard down and being careless, he figured he'd should just get the inevitable over with.

Running his fingers through his hair a few times, he stood up. He dreaded going downstairs to look into her eyes for he feared what he would see. Disapproval, hatred, pain, any and all things he knew he probably had caused her by seeing his defaced arm. But getting it over with sooner seemed like the best option.

Grabbing his wand, he placed it in his back pocket before heading towards the door. "Maybe it's better if I go. I can concentrate on figuring out how to get mother out and somewhere safe... even if I don't even know where I'm going yet."

As he tried to convince himself of this, a small part of him still wished he could have at least figured his plan out here... living with her...

* * *

Hermione sat by the fire she had made, sipping her lemon and honey tea. Rubbing her temples she riffled through the notes she had made. "Why would he leave me a book of children's stories?"

The moon had risen into the sky now and was casting shadows throughout the downstairs. Soft crackles of the fire filled the room as she turned the pages of her notes to try and figure out why she had been left this book. "Knowing you though Professor, there's a reason."

Running her fingers over its spine, the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs made her heart jump. She listened to them hit the last step and make their way down the hall. Slightly tilting her heard, she could see Draco entering the room in the corner of her eye. Noticing his hair was mussed and his sleeves were rolled back down, her heart began to race. Watching as he walked around the couch and stopping just short of her direct line of sight, she turned her head to fully look at him.

Draco kept his eyes on the burning fire, clutching his fists as he tried to evade her stare. _Just fucking get this over with._

"I'll go" he coldly stated.

Hermione was a little taken aback. "Wh-what?" Her voice stammered as she spoke. "Why would you go?"

"What do you mean 'why would I go?' I'm not an idiot Granger I know not even you could take pity on a Death Eater and let him hide out at your house." He kept his gaze at anywhere but her.

"You're actually calling yourself a Death Eater?" Hermione sat up straight, moving her notes to the coffee table in front of her. "Draco, I-"

"I have the mark don't I? I've been 'graciously' accepted into the Dark Lords inner circle, my father has welcomed him into our home now with open arms, I've selfishly put my mother in danger and have left her alone to fend for herself.." his voice was rising in anger, but not at Hermione. He was becoming disgusted with himself. "Hell I even accepted the job to-"

He froze, biting down on his tongue before he could finish his sentence. Swallowing the sickening words, his stomach felt as though it had jumped into his throat. _There's no way I'm letting that slip to her. If she doesn't fully hate me now, she will if she ever found out what I had agreed to do._

Watching Draco's body start to shake, she knew what he had almost said. Before she could think about whether or not she should tell him, she said "But you didn't, you didn't kill Professor Dumbledore."

Draco's wide eyes darted over to the witch. " _What did you fucking say_?"

Hermione gazed into his shocked, grey eyes. The warmth she had started to enjoy seeing had begun to feel cold again. But it was different. It wasn't so much that it was unfriendly or unwelcoming.

 _He's in pain._

She watched as the bright yellow flames danced off his eyes, almost trying to melt away some of his suffering. Standing from the couch, Hermione could feel the frantic beats of her heart pound against her chest. "The difference between you and a Death Eater Draco, it that you chose right from wrong. You didn't go through with it and you're not selfish-"

"Tell me, how the fuck did you know that?" Draco could feel his body trembling. He was sure all hope was now lost of whatever feelings she may have had for him.

The snapping of the fire was setting the hairs on the back of Hermione's neck on edge. Draco had taken a few steps backs making her feel uneasy. The atmosphere in the room was completely the opposite of what it had been that morning. She knew telling him the truth, that she had been tailing Draco for weeks, even months didn't seem like an option at the moment.

"I.. It's a really long story but I was there that night, in the hallway by the Room of Requirement while you were talking to Professor Snape." She watched as his eye grew even wider with shock. "Draco I overheard everything and from the sounds of it, you didn't really have any other choice if you wanted to survive, or keeping your mother alive for that matter."

"Of course I had a choice, I've had a choice my whole fucking life to realize what a shitty life I've had the pleasure of living. I could have tried to fight for a better one, for both my mother and I. But I was too busy trying to always please my father, to try and become the perfect Death Eater son. I was so wrapped up in the family name and those horrid ideals that were being shoved down my throat. Apparently for me it takes getting the Dark Mark and an order to murder someone to realize just how fucked those ideas really are. I mean, I agreed to killing-"

"But you didn't" she quickly reminded him again. "No Death Eater would ever show remorse or go against You-Know-Who's orders. And if you hadn't agreed he would have killed you and your mother." She stared at him with unblinking eyes. Her heart had begun to ache for him as she listened to the enormous weight he had been carrying around.

Draco's voice was becoming filled with resentment. He was digging his finger nails into the palm of his hand. Any more pressure and he was sure he would pierce his skin. "Look what good I've done there. You heard my aunt, she is taking the punishments for my failures. She could even be dead now for all I know. As for me, I'm sure I'm living on borrowed time. It's probably only a matter of time until he kills me with his own hands. I was so fucking stupid for thinking it would end any differently."

Hermione unknowingly took a step toward him. He seemed vulnerable, helpless, even scared again and it made her stomach turn. "You stood up for what you believed it, what was right. That's not stupid at all."

She took another step towards him. Her voice was becoming stronger, more passionate. "Draco, that was brave. I think sometimes we don't really know who we are until we are truly lost and we have to find our way back. We all have things we have done that we aren't proud of. It's how you take that hatred, that pain and regret and turn them into something else. Make your suffering your motivation, use that to help you move forward in this world."

The fire had filled the room with warmth and the smell of old pine. The light that had been casted by the moon had become muted with clouds. Both of them stood rooted to the ground staring at each other, waiting for the other to make the next move. Draco had almost been positive she would have hated him when learning of his accepted mission and the fact that he had taken the mark.

But the way she spoke told him differently, and he had a feeling she wasn't just talking to him. She was trying to remind herself that with suffering, disgust and even loss can come strength.

 _You really are the brightest witch of our age aren't you?_

Watching her cheeks flush red with emotion, Draco couldn't help but start to feel more drawn to her. He knew she was right, he couldn't give up just yet. Not until at least he knew his mother was safe.

Hermione didn't dare move. She was watching him for some sort of response. Having felt a small burning sensation building behind her eyes, she kept herself from blinking. Hearing her own words to him made her realize her own fears again.

She knew there was a war going on out there, a war she had been a part of for years now. Not only had she been separated from her two best friends, but she had no idea where to even begin looking for them. Where they even looking for her? Knowing there was a good chance they had gone on and started looking for horcruxes without her made it that much more difficult. There wasn't any time to waste in the search and she knew that. But it didn't make it any easier to know they were out there trying to end this and she wasn't able to help. She had started to feel useless. And with her parents murdered all because she felt as though she put them in danger, life was becoming harder and harder to live. But she knew she had to keep trying, to not let it all consume her.

They stood only a few feet apart now. Draco watched as her eyes began to gloss over as she held her stoic composure. He couldn't stand to see her in pain. Watching as her chest heaved up and down with every deep, shaky breath she took, he began to feel his heart race. As she tucked a loose curl behind her ear, dangerous thoughts started to fill his head.

Hermione knew she had to be strong, but doing it alone at this point seemed like an unbearable thought. Taking a deep breath, she asked "You're not actually planning on leaving are you?"

Draco could feel her pleading stare pierce into him. _She wants me to stay?_

He couldn't hold back his thoughts any longer, he needed to act on them. Finally admitting to himself that he had actually been thinking about this since the night in front of the fire, he took a step forward. He watched her eyes widen in surprise as he placed one of his hands behind her neck while the other tightened around her waist. Pulling her closer, he pressed his lips on to hers.

Running his tongue over her soft, closed lips, he could feel them part almost instantly. Sweeping his tongue quickly in between them, he was finally able to savor that sweet, succulent taste he had all but imagined.

A soft sigh escaped Hermione's throat as she felt the warmth of his breath fill her will excitement, confusion and nerves. She could feel his fingers weaving their way through her tangled hair, pulling her closer as they did. Feeling him break free for just a moment before taking a teasing bite of her lower lip caused her to release another sigh. She slid her hands in between them, resting them on his chest.

It only took Draco a moment to realize what he had actually done. Feeling the weight of her body almost lean into his, he instantly stopped. As the two stared at each other in disbelief, the sweet taste of her wet mouth still lingered on his tongue. He let go of his grip around her waist and took a step back. As he stood there, watching her slowly thumb the corner of her lip where he had licked, he knew one thing was sure. Just one taste of her would not be enough.

* * *

Note: So happy to be posting again! I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter :)

Thank you for all the reviews, follows and favorites! It always makes me happy to know there are other Dramione lovers out there as well.

Another 2 weeks probably until the next chapter. It may even be on the Friday instead of Thursday because I have a few exams coming up :( I'm sorry! Please don't hate me too much if I'm a day late ^_^

Wishing everyone a good weekend!

 _Toujours_.


	11. Chapter 11: Wanted

**Wounded**

Chapter 11: Wanted

As Draco took another quick lick of his lips, he was able to still taste her. Soft, warm notes of honey and lemon played on his tongue as her sweet smell continued to cause his head to spin. Although the weight from her body had left his chest, he was sure he could still feel her lingering warmth making its way down to his skin. He was watching her intently as she stared at him in utter disbelief. Her eyes said what Draco was thinking.

 _Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck._

Hermione was having trouble catching her breath as her wide eyes fixated on the dangerously temping blonde wizard standing in front of her. His mused hair made the tips of her fingers twitch, as if it was goading her to run them through. Partially astounded at the fact Draco had kissed her, she was even more startled at the fact that she had kissed him back.

 _Why isn't he saying anything? He's just staring at me. Did he mean to? Does he regret it? Oh Godric this could be really bad_.

The flames of the fire had begun to dwindle, casting heavy shadows across the room. The crackles being emitted just barley masked the heavy, erratic sounds of their heavy breathing. Only a few feet away from each other, while neither wanted to be the first to make a move, they each held each other's gaze.

Hermione tried to steady herself, still feeling a slight pressure on her lower lip where he had bit. _Yeah, this is bad. How could I have let this happen?_

The silence was beginning to eat away at Draco. He was having no luck in reading how she felt about the situation. Her cheeks were flush, but was it out of disgust? Anger? Passion? But those few confessing sounds that had escaped her mouth made him think it was the latter.

 _She didn't pull away. Hell she even leaned into it, into me... and the way she sighed.._

Her whispered moans had brushed against his cheek. They had been soft yet taunting, making him want to elicit more. He couldn't help but feel that if he hadn't of been so shocked at the fact that she hadn't objected, things could have turned out much differently.

Feeling the need to fill the unsettling silence between them, he combed his fingers through his silvery hair before speaking. "Look, Granger I-"

"You're staying, right?" Hermione's voice was quiet, almost afraid of hearing him say anything to the contrary.

Without hesitation, Draco quickly replied "Yeah, I'll stay." He watched as her eyes filled with what looked to be relief. Before he could say anything more on the subject, she had cut him off again.

"I need some time to think, about everything... I'm sorry." Without another word, she turned to grab her wand and bag and quickly left the room.

Unable to say anything in return, Draco simply watched as her long, bouncing curls disappeared around the corner and into the hallway. The room felt strangely empty now. Rubbing his hands over his face a few times he fell hard into the forgiving couch. Pressing a few fingers into the corners of his eyes, he closed them and slowly worked them back and forth. He knew going after her was a horrible idea. Trying to get her to talk now would only make the situation worse.

"But how much sodding time are we talking about here? She did ask me to stay, which I'll take as a good sign... I think.."

He let off a frustrated scoff. _Shit._

Opening his eyes back up, he saw the still steaming cup of tea Hermione had been drinking before he had walked into the room. The soft aroma it was emitting only made him more frustrated. Its honey and lemon scent caused him to think about their shared kiss, again and again.

He had held her a few times now, either out of needing to comfort her or out of concern. All of them until now at least. This time it had been different. His hands were drawn to her, needing to bring her closer to him. He heard her strength, but he needed to feel it, to hold on to it for not only her sake but his own. He couldn't have helped himself even if he had wanted to, and that's what worried him the most. This need he felt towards her, to kiss her, to run his fingers through her hair and to feel the warmth her bare skin had to offer, was a feeling he had never quite experienced before with anyone else. There was no denying it now that he was attracted to her, but there was more to his actions than just lust. If he was honest with himself, he had been having these thoughts for some time now. The way she would speak to him, witty with a bit of bite to her words. How she knew exactly what to say to test him, but still somehow coming across as playful and amusing. He would have bet his entire family fortune on him going to his grave with his feelings for Granger before ever admitting them to anyone or even himself. But there he was, staring at her as she tried to comfort him, speaking with such determination that made him all but grasp for it too.

Leaning forward, he rested his head on the palm of his hand. His thoughts were now going back and forth between convincing himself there's no way she would be alright with what just happened, to reminding himself that she seemed to want more as well. Needing to find something to distract him, he noticed Hermione had left behind a pile of parchment on the coffee table. Curious as to what she had been taking notes of for the past week or so, he picked them up and began to read them. They were scattered across the wooden table top, but it didn't take long for him to recognize what they were.

"Why in Salazar's name would she have written out these stories? I haven't heard these in years."

But as he started to look closer at them, he realized they were slightly different to what he had heard as a child. In fact, they were very different. Furrowing his brow, he began to read the "so called familiar" stories Hermione had written well into the night, only to realize come morning that he was able to add yet another lie from his father to the list.

* * *

Hermione quickly shut the door to her room behind her. Placing her back against it she slid down to the floor in a flustered mess. She buried her face in her shaky hands and took deep, heavy breaths.

"What was I thinking? I can't believe Draco and I just.. kissed. We kissed... he kissed me and I kissed him back. Merlin what is wrong with me!"

Taking her hands, she pushed back her soft curls from her face and began twirling a lock between her fingers. She was still trying to catch her breath as she flicked her tongue across her still moistened lips. Her mind was clouded with confusion. The room was spinning as she tried to make sense of the last fifteen minutes.

"It meant nothing, absolutely nothing."

But as the words escaped her mouth, the thought of Draco's tongue caressing over top of hers made her body shudder in an innate response. The strength of his pull and the way he had caused her to tremble and moan with his lips made her question everything.

Shaking her head, she pushed herself up off the floor. Hermione flicked her wand to turn on the small desk lamp. She sat her bag on the dresser before sprawling out on her bed. Setting her hands on her still heaving chest, she closed her eyes.

The details of their kiss began to replay over and over in her mind. It had all happen so fast. One minute she had been watching him struggle with his own monsters, fear and pain filling his grey eyes. And in an instant, they had changed. Determination, strength, she even thought they seemed a little bit lustful as he pulled her into him. She felt the warmth of his lips press against hers as his tongue made quick work of entering her welcoming mouth. Even though he had taken her by surprise, it seemed her body instantly accepted his touch. The way his fingers pulled and tugged on her hair, weaving her soft curls between them as he tightened his hold.

Hermione's body shuddered again. The chills that set her body on edge made her think twice about the true meaning behind their actions. She hadn't denied him, pushed away or fought his advancement

 _I didn't back away. In fact I leaned into him... Oh god I think I even wanted more.._

Her amber eyes shot open. The realization of wanting their all too confusing encounter to lead further made her stomach drop. Although their kiss only lasted a short time, Hermione had felt something different towards Draco. The warmth from his mouth had sent waves of pleasure down her spine, almost paralyzing her as her brain tried to catch up. But before it could, she had succumb to him, melting into his embrace. His lips had sought hers, using his tongue to delve father in. The taste of him was what made her lean in more. It was subtle, but hints of mint and spice drew her closer. She could feel his rapid heartbeats under her hand right before he had pulled away. All the pain, the fear and sadness had started to leave her for the briefest of moments. For once she had felt safe again. As her surroundings started to come back, her brain had a chance to finally catch up. It was then that Hermione had truly realized what they had done. Staring into the grey eyes of the person who had made her life hell up until recently caused her to panic.

A soft groan left her mouth. No matter how hard she tried to think about something else, the thought of Draco's lips on hers wouldn't leave. _What would Harry and Ron think?_

This thought made her stomach drop again. She felt as if she just stabbed her friends in the back. Draco had been their enemy since the first day at Hogwarts. And here she was thinking about how strong he had felt under her touch and how only a thin shirt separated his flesh from her curious fingers.

It had been almost two years since she had thought about anyone in such a way. She had kept the night of the Yule Ball a secret from everyone, even from her two best friends. After the party ended, Viktor and her had slipped away and took a walk around the castle to continue their conversation on how he had managed to retrieve the golden egg in the first task. He had told her a few times already, but she found it endearing how he loved to retell the story to impress her. As they had rounded a corner on the third floor, they had heard Peeves at the other end of the corridor. To avoid an endless serenade of taunts and jeers, they had hid in an unused classroom. The room had been pitch black, but it didn't take long for the two to find each other. She had been so captivated by his charm and the moment felt so right to give in to temptation.

But Hermione had always thought losing her virginity would have felt more special. Although Viktor had been caring and sweet, there wasn't that connection, at least not the way she had always thought it should have felt. After that night, they kept their relationship as friends, but nothing more. Harry and Ron had asked a few times if anything happened after the party. Her coming back so late to the common room sparked their curiosity, but she kept this secret to herself. She didn't need to hear their endless comments and assumed childish remarks on the matter. Some things were best left private.

She once thought she had feelings for Cormac, but they were short lived once she found out how terribly rude he was. His poor sense of humor and constant need to remind everyone how well connected his family was drove her insane.

But tonight, even though it was only a kiss, she had felt more of a connection with Draco than she had ever had with someone. Rolling to lay on her side, she tried to rationalize her feelings towards him. But all she could come up with was the simple fact that she was attracted to him, and it very well seemed that he was attracted to her.

Her head was now pounding. She was exhausted and needed rest. She had wanted to avoid anymore nightmares, but she could feel her tired body starting to give in to sleep. As she lay there, she began to dread the inevitable awkward conversation that was sure to happen between them.

 _Maybe I can avoid it, at least until I can figure out what in Godric's name is going on with me. Maybe we are both just lonely, and all of this uncertainty is starting to get the better of us._

Her eyes began to close. The soft bed and dim lighting were luring her into slumber. Her body was shutting down, but her mind was still racing with confusion. Trying to block everything out, one thought kept repeated itself.

 _I may not exactly understand everything, but I know one thing's for sure..._

A small smile spread across her face right before sleep finally took her. _I'm really glad he isn't leaving._

* * *

Draco had fallen asleep on the sofa sometime late into the night. He awoke to the soft sounds of rain hitting against the window panes. The smoldering embers in the fireplace were still sending up small clouds of pine scented smoke. Looking around he saw the time, realizing it was just a little past dawn. His neck was stiff having fallen asleep with his head slouched over the arm of the couch. Rolling his head side to side, a low grunt was caught trapped in his throat.

"Bloody hell this hurts."

He rubbed his neck as he stood up to stretch. He saw the pile of parchment he had read and reread a few times during the night until he became disgusted with the fact his father had fed him more lies throughout his life.

 _The brain washing starts young at the Malfoy Manor doesn't it?_

Stretching to the side one more time before heading upstairs, Draco wondered when he would see Hermione next. He didn't really know how much time was enough time. But from his experience with the opposite sex, he knew it was better that he left them alone until they were ready to talk. The last time he tried to figure out what he had done wrong, Daphne Greengrass had yelled at him for a good five minutes before storming away back down to the dormitories. He never did figure out what the cold shoulder was for.

 _Come to think of it, Granger did say Parkinson was running her fucking mouth even after I had ended it... I wonder if that had something to do with it..._

He rolled his eyes in annoyance. As he climbed the stairs back to his room, he stopped as he reached the landing. He stared at Hermione's door, wondering if she was already awake on the other side. He listened for any movements for almost five minutes before giving up to the sounds of disappointing silence. Heading to his bedroom door, he took a deep breath.

"I hope you don't keep me waiting too long Granger. Patience was never my strong suit."

...

Draco wasn't too surprised that she had avoided him on the first day. He had passed the time by reading a few books he had found hidden in one of the dressers by his bed. He had dozed off in the late afternoon and had awoken to the sounds of her bedroom door closing. Shortly after, the hush sounds of her shower told him he had missed her coming out of her room and he had a feeling that she was in there for the night. He had wandered downstairs to find Hermione had prepared dinner for herself and had left him a bowl wrapped on the counter. He took this as a another good sign, but he also knew she wasn't the type of person to not offer someone a plate no matter her feelings towards them. He had experienced her generosity multiple times now, some of which he knew he hadn't deserved. None the less, he took the bowl back up to his room, grinning slightly as he took a bite of the savory soup.

By the second morning, the same dreary drizzle that had persisted to stay since the first morning of their seclusion was depressing him and his patience was definitely starting to wear thin. His once hopeful notions on their shared kiss were turning to doubt, which began to agitate him even more. His thoughts were shifting from her needing time to come to the conclusion that she too had feelings for him, to her needing time to figure out how to tell him he was alone in this aspect.

When he came downstairs on the second morning, it was clear Hermione was still hiding out in her room. The gray sky and heavy rain filled the room with an almost somber tone. It had barely been two days since they last interacted with each other, but it felt longer to him. Although their talks could sometimes be a little heated, he secretly always enjoyed them. But lately, he had become almost infatuated with their new tongue and cheek tone with each other. With the solitude that had set in between them, he was beginning to realize that he was actually starting to miss their daily banters.

The house felt strangely empty to him this morning as he made his way into the kitchen. He wasn't feeling very hungry, grabbing a mug from the cupboard and making himself a cup of tea. Sitting down at on one of the kitchen island stools, he set his mug down and folded his arms.

 _I'm not sure how much longer I can wait on her to figure out whatever if going on in that head of hers._

He could feel the frustration building in his chest. _If she's going to play this game of hiding out, then maybe I already have my fucking answer... damn what was I thinking? There's no way Granger could see me any different than she has before. If I remember correctly, the words she used to describe me were foul and evil... and there's no changing feelings like those._

Draco was slightly rubbing his cheek where she had slapped him just before she had spoken those words to him. He still could remember the sharp sting of the force and the loud smack it had made in his ears. If he was honest with himself, that was probably the first time he had felt something other than anger or frustration towards her.

A slight smirk crossed his face _. I'll give you some credit Granger, you sure do know how to hold your own. I can respect that._

But the discouraging words she had used echoed again inside his head, causing his heart to drop. He was staring at his tea as he rocked the cup back and forth, watching the bag move from one side to the other. He clenched his teeth together, flexing his jaw as he did.

With a low grunt, he said "Why did I have to be such an arse."

He was fighting the urge to throw his cup against something hard. _And why did I have to go and bloody kiss her. She didn't want me to stay because she actually wanted me to. It's just those sodding Gryffindor tendencies of caring and being generous coming out._

Needing to remove himself from chucking anything at a wall, he stood and left his full mug of tea on the island. He walked over to the fireplace and sat down on the couch. He noticed at some point last night Hermione had collected her notes, leaving the coffee table bare. Knowing that she had been down here and he had missed her made his nerves stand on edge.

 _That's it. I'm not moving from this spot until she comes down here. She can't hide up there forever. At this point I'd just rather hear it, that way I can finally concentrate on what in Salazar's name I'm going to do about mother._

Draco had been trying to come up with what his next steps would be. He knew hiding out at Hermione's cabin couldn't last forever. Or maybe it could. Hiding out from the rest of the world, never seeing his father again or the shitty life he had once called home, losing himself to the darkness seemed to becoming more and more appealing.

 _At least there no one can see me and all the mistakes I've made. Hell, I don't even want to see myself most days._

But he knew he couldn't leave his mother in the hands of her husband. Not after everything she had done for him his whole life. He had come up with a few ideas, all of which would probably end with him being caught and his death. But if he could just get these intrusive feelings shut down and out of his mind, maybe he would finally be able to figure out a real plan, a plan where both he and his mother could escape with their lives.

Settling himself into the chair, Draco began to wait for Hermione to finally make an appearance. _Just get it out of the way, that way you can focus on more important matters._

But something was telling him once he heard her tell him how she really felt, it would only become more difficult to fully concentrate. This matter was, for some reason, becoming increasingly important to him as well.

* * *

Hermione's blood shot eyes were beginning to water. She blinked a few times as she rubbed the sting from them. She had been so intently reading, she had forgotten to blink. Needing to take a break, she pushed back her chair from her desk and began to slouch in it. Running her fingers through her hair a few times, she worked her hands and pulled her hair back into a loose braid.

The cool, summer drizzle had turned into a heavy storm. She had felt its approach all day. Ever since she was young, Hermione insisted she could feel when a storm was coming. The air would change around her, sending an almost electric charge through her, tingling her finger tips as it passed through her. Soft, damp smells played on her senses as floral and earth scents made their way to her nose. Hermione had opened one of her bedroom windows to let the soothing winds and sounds of rain relax her.

Listening to the sounds of the hard raindrops hit the house, she took a look around her cluttered room. Ever since the night of her and Draco's shared kiss, she had been hiding out here. She wasn't proud of the fact that she was avoiding him, but the thought of acknowledging her feelings for him and the fact that he had feelings for her all but confused her. Not to mention the enormous guilt she felt towards her friends whenever she began to admit to herself what she was feeling was indeed true.

The first night she had fallen asleep and had awoke to herself trembling, tears starting to run down her face. She couldn't remember what she had been dreaming, but she had an idea. After those few hours of terror filled sleep, she had not since allowed herself to give in to her tired body and mind.

Instead, she had been filling her time by reading. But she wasn't reading just any books, she was reading from the books she had used the _Gemino_ charm on from Snape's library. The night Draco had caught her sneaking books from his collection, she had came back down once he had left and used the charm to replicate as many books as she could. Not wanting to risk Draco seeing her take another book and asking why she was so interested in them again, she thought it better to make copies and keep them in her bag. Now that they were stuck at her cabin for the time being, she was grateful she had done this and was still able to do as much research as she could on horcruxes. She needed to do something to still feel like she wasn't completely useless to her friends. If they were out looking for them, she could at least figure out how to destroy them.

But the hunt was slow, having to translate some of the books in Ruins by hand and having to even use other books to help translate those. She once thought she had found a passage with writing pertaining to a word with the ending 'cruxes', but after fully translating the ruins, into Latin then into English, the terms meaning proved to be nothing what she had hoped. Her room was scattered with Snape's copied books, spanning from her desk, the bed and all around the floor. Needing to take a break, she stood from the chair as she caught sight of her clock.

"I can't believe I've been reading almost the whole day and I still have nothing to show for it."

Before she took her first step towards her bed, a large gust of wind whipped into her room, causing her bedroom door to creek open. The sudden blast caused the startled witch to jump. The cool winds from the storm were now filling her room, causing her to slightly shiver. She walked over to her dresser where her familiar comforting green sweater lay. As she pulled it over her head, a small twinge of hunger made her groan.

"I can't remember the last time I actually ate something, I'm guessing that's not good." She glanced over to the still almost full bowl of soup she had brought up the previous day. Knowing she should have had more to eat by now, she took a seat on her bed. Her muscles ached and her stomach gave her another gab, reminding her it still needed to be fed.

Sighing, she caught sight of some parchment laying next to her. She had started making a list of places where Harry and Ron could possibly have gone to. The top two places she had written down were either Grimmauld Place or Godric's Hollow. She thought Grimmauld Place was a good bet, but she was worried what Snape may have told Voldemort. Knowing Snape still had to play the part, he could have easily told Voldemort the address to the Order's hideout. It would be risky to try and go there alone to look for the boys. Same went for Godric's Hollow. She had a feeling Voldemort knew Harry would want to go there and could have Death Eaters waiting for his return to his family home.

Frustrated that she still had no solid ideas on where to look for them without risking her safety too much, she took up one of the books that lay on her bed and began thumbing through the pages. Her stomach gave another growl making her think about the food she had left out for Draco.

 _I wonder if he actually took the soup I made. I hope he is at least eating something. I guess I could go down and check, but what do I say if I run into him? Bollocks, I can't keep avoiding him forever._

Setting the book in her lap, she leaned against her head board and closed her eyes. The image of Draco's grey eyes flashed across her lids. She had been watching him change for weeks now. Being able to see actual emotion from him, to see he could feel remorse, to allow himself be vulnerable and scared showed her he was so much more than she ever thought possible. He had helped her, comforted her when she had needed it the most and it was a genuine need to be the one to do it. The look he had given her right before he learned in to kiss her though has been her favorite she had seen so far. She knew she wasn't the most outgoing girl at school, hiding behind books most of the time and being the one to always follow the rules never helped her popularity much. A few times she had had boys show an interest in her, but for the most part she was too busy or not interested in the ones that did. But Draco had looked at her in a way that had made her heart stop. It was real, genuine and intense. She had felt noticed, respected and...

 _Wanted. He seemed like he wanted, even needed to kiss me, to pull me close. Merlin help me, but seeing him like that actually makes me want him more._

Slowly, she opened her eyes. If she kept them shut any longer she knew she'd fall asleep. The warmth from her sweater and the sounds of rain and distant thunder were creating the perfect atmosphere. Trying to fight the urge, she opened the book and started to scan the pages.

"You need to talk to him" she softly whispered to herself. "Just finish this page, and then go find him."

As the tired eyes read the same like three times, her heavy lids started to close again. Hermione's hands slowly let go of the book which slipped from her lap and landed gently next to her. The sounds of thunder were growing closer as the tired witch finally gave in.

* * *

Draco was still sitting in the same spot when the kitchen clock chimed seven times. The only thing that had changed was he was now holding his mug from this morning. Instead of it being filled with tea though, he had noticed an open amber bottle of _English Malt Whiskey_ sitting on top of the wine cabinet next to him. He had been sipping a small glass for about an hour now, hoping it would help calm him. Waiting for Hermione to make an appearance was becoming harder and harder to not go looking for her himself. Draco hadn't heard a sound from her room all day and he could have sworn at one point time had decided to stop, just to make the pain of waiting last just a little but longer.

As the last chime of the clock rang, Draco let off a frustrated sigh. _Fuck this._

He had had enough. The roaring thunder outside the walls was fueling his impatience _. I'm not just going to sit around waiting for her to figure out how she feels. And if she already has then she can find some of that sodding Gryffindor bravely they always talk about so much and just bloody tell me._

Taking the last swig of whiskey, he set the mug down on the wooden table and stood from the couch. "Disappointment seems to be the theme to my life now."

The lightning was creating shadows across the walls. The foyer was dark, but he used its strobe effect to make his way up the stairs. He took each step with purpose, hoping a little that he would run into Hermione before making his way to his bedroom. The whiskey had taken just enough of the edge off and he was ready to tell her how he now felt. It was one thing if she had just told him his actions had bothered her, but to run away from confrontation was not the witch he knew. Draco knew she had faced far worse before, running head first into most of the situations. But hiding out over a momentary lapse in judgment?

 _No, that's not you Granger. If you can slap me you can sure as hell tell me to my face how you feel._

Coming to the landing, he was about to walk past her door when he suddenly stopped. The dark hallway was softly being illuminated by a small strip of light coming from Hermione's door. Although he had just told himself he wouldn't go looking for her, a realizing thought came into his mind.

 _It is a little strange I haven't even heard a sound coming from her room all day. She didn't even come down stairs to grab something to eat._

The frustration he had been feeling started to turn to worry. He was trying to convince himself that she was alright and he was sure nothing had happened to her, but something was still telling him to check. Slowly walking towards her door, he made sure not to make a sound, wanting to listen for any movement from her room.

Inches from her door now, he peered through the crack. Still not hearing any movement, he hesitated for just a moment before carefully pushing open the door. Taking a step inside, it didn't take him long to find the sleeping witch. A sense of relief washed over him, as the irritation he had just felt started to creep back in.

 _Sleeping, she's just sleeping. Well, at least she's able to find some rest._

He then noticed what she was wearing. The same flattering green sweater that had teased his imagination only a few days ago and a pair of grey sweats that hugged the curves of her hips. A small twitch below waist caused him to look away. The memory of their kiss came flooding back and he was sure for just a moment he could taste her lemon and honey flavor on his tongue.

 _Keep your mind on the reason you came in here in the first place. She is clearly alright and you know she doesn't feel the same way._

Wanting to subdue his taunting memories, he looked around her room. It reminded him of bedroom back at her parents' house. Decorated with splashes of crimson and gold, her large bedroom was also filled to the brim with books. Her desk lamp was proving minimal light, but he could tell her walls were filled with family pictures just like the rest of the house. Noticing her window was open, he crept towards it. The strong winds were picking up, blowing her sheer cotton curtains wildly around. Her window over looked the pond out back. Draco could just barely see the branches of the willow tree whipping about, hitting the top of the water as they did. With each strike of lightning, he peered out into the dense, dark forest. He knew they were safer here than anywhere else at the moment, and Hermione's protective spells would giving them more security. He couldn't help but think though that somewhere out there, there were people hunting them, wanting to be the ones to bring them in to the Dark Lord so he could take pleasure in killing them himself.

Disgusted by the thought, he turned away from the window. He was about to turn off her light for her and leave when something caught his eye. Picking up one of the books that were on her desk, he read the covers.

 _Dark Arts Through the Ages? What the hell..._

 _Draco picked up another book on her desk, then another, and then another. I know these books, I've read them all countless of times. These are the same books that were in Snape's library. Why is Salazar's name does Granger have them?_

He took a glance around the room. There were books piled on each other and scattered across the floor. It was as if Hermione had brought Snape's entire library with her, but he knew that was impossible. He had seen all the books in the shelves the day they had fled.

 _How is the world-_

But then he realized how she had done it. A small smile spread across his face. _You used a doubling charm didn't you when I wasn't around. How very sneaky of you. But why in the world would you want to bring these types of books with you?_

He looked towards the still sleeping witch. He was very confused, but he knew this time when he asked what she was doing with the books he wasn't going to accept anything less that the truth.

Setting the book back on the desk, he flicked his wand and the lamp shut off. As he started walking towards the door, a soft sigh made him stop. Turning to look where Hermione lay, he could see her body trembling with each flash of lightning. Furrowing his brow, he walked to stand next to her bed.

He noticed her breathing had changed. It was shallow now, almost as if gasping for air. The expression on her face made Draco's chest tightened. She looked scared and it bothered him. But what bothered him even more was what he saw with the next flash of light. A small, glistening tear was rolling down her cheek, making its way past her chin before landing on her pillow.

As he saw another one start making its way down, he couldn't stop himself from reaching out and gently wiping it away with a brush of his finger. The chill of her cheek hit Draco's warm skin like ice. He could feel her body shaking under his finger. He was about to say her name in hoping to wake her up when a sharp crack of thunder caused him to jump.

Hermione's eye shot open. Awoken by the thunder, the room was almost pitch black and she was having a hard time catching her breath. As her eyes began to adjust to her surroundings, she suddenly realized she wasn't alone.

"Draco?" Her voice was soft. "What are you doing in here?"

The blonde wizard took a step back from the bed. _Shit, she wasn't suppose to see me here._

He took a deep breath before he spoke. "Look, I hadn't heard a sound from you all day and was just making sure you were alright."

Watching her eyes grow wide, he quickly said "Don't read into this Granger. I'm not an idiot, I know that whatever happened the other day was probably just a mistake but.."

Hermione had stopped listening to Draco after the first sentence. _He came to check on me? I hide from him and he still cares about me..._

She was staring at him, his silver eyes almost glowing in the dark back at her. Lifting her hand to her face where Draco had unknowingly touched her, she could still feel some of the warmth from his skin on hers. And it felt familiar. Hermione had awoken from her nightmare in a panic, but the moment she had seen Draco standing next to her, a sense of calm had washed over. She couldn't keep denying how she felt about the blonde wizard standing in front of her. There was something there between them, exactly what she wasn't exactly sure yet. But the very real feeling of wanting him too was definitely there.

Draco finally noticed Hermione hadn't said a word yet to his rant. "Granger, are you even listening to me?"

Hermione snapped back to reality. Truthfully, she had barely heard a word he had just said to her. She thought she had heard something about how 'if she really didn't feel anything then they could just forget that whole moment ever happened.' But she didn't want to forget it happened, there was no way she ever could. And if she was honest with herself, she wanted more of those moments. The past few weeks he had been the one that was there for her when she needed someone, the one who comforted her and cared about her. Even after having a bad dream he somehow had shown up at the right time.

Her heart was racing. She had to say something to him, but her brain wasn't working properly. The harsh winds coming in from her open window were filling her mind with a low humming sound. Maybe it was her brain becoming clouded by this, or maybe it was just the fact that she wanted to be the impulsive one this time. She was always one to plan ahead, to calculate every action out, but she was sure the heat left on her cheek had been from him and she wanted more.

Draco was watching Hermione closely, waiting for her to acknowledge his question. Taking a step back towards her bed, he was starting to become worried that the dream she had been having took more of a toll on her than he realized when her sudden movement toward him made him falter.

She had stood from her bed and went for his lips in less than a heartbeats time. They were as she remember, if not better. They had that caramel, nutty taste to them this time which reminded her of the night by Snape's fireplace. She had wanted a taste then and it was deeply satisfying to know she was right in thinking it would have been delicious then just as it was now.

Her lips felt chilled just as her cheeks had, but it felt refreshing on his warm lips. The coolness of them sent shivers down his spine. He was about to allow reality to snap him back out of this moment, but he was adamant not to ruin it again. Quickly accepting her gesture, he tightly wrapped his arms around her, wanting to be the one to warm her. His hand rested just above her hip, reaching its way to the small of her back.

Hermione welcomed the heat she felt from his touch. She felt safe and protect with his arm wrapped around her, a luxury that was in short supply these days. All the pain, the confusion, everything that had been weighing on her mind was starting to fade.

His other hand found the back of her neck, pulling his kiss deeper into her eager mouth. The force of her kiss had told him everything he had needed to know. All the doubt, the questioning, everything that had been causing him to wonder if his actions had been a mistake were gone. She wanted this as much as he did.

Sucking her bottom lip, a soft moan came from her mouth. It was sweet and light, brushing his face as it escaped which only made him want to hear more. He gave her neck a little squeeze as he quickly swept his tongue back in between her moisten lips. Feeling her tongue stroke back over his, a low growl of approval came from his throat.

A rush of pure pleasure swept across her body. The heat that was being creating in between them was becoming almost blissful. Placing her palm against his chest, she balled a fist full of his shirt in her hand and slightly pushed back from him. Before her uninhibited feelings took her any further, she needed to hear one thing from him first.

Trying to catch her breath, she was barely able to speak in between each gasp of air. "Draco, you want this too, right?"

The lightning still hadn't let up yet, allowing him to see the worry in her amber eyes. Taking the hand from her neck, he slid it forward and cupped her red, flushed cheeks. Needing to bring her closer to him than she already was, he softly placed a kiss on her forehead.

 _More than you know._

* * *

Note: I'm super excited to be posting this chapter! I had a really great time writing it, I hope you all enjoy it as well!

School has been kicking my ass for sure, but I made sure to stay up past my bedtime to get this chapter done for you guys! (besides, who needs sleep when you can live on Monsters and RedBulls :) )

Mid terms are fast approaching so another two weeks for the next chapter. Thank you for all the amazing reviews!

 _-Toujours._


	12. Chapter 12: Answers

**Wounded**

Chapter 12: Answers

Draco placed another kiss on Hermione's forehead, but a little heavier this time. He then placed another one on her temple and then one right below her ear, making his way down her elongating neck. He was hoping his actions would speak for themselves, answering her question. By the way she gripped his shirt even tighter in her hands and letting another soft moan escape her lips, he had a good feeling that they had.

With another small squeeze to her back, he felt the very small distance left between them vanish as the soft curves of her breasts pushed against his chest. He slowly moved his hand under her ever teasing green sweater one curious finger at a time, using all the restraint he had in him to not just tear it right off of her.

Slightly tilting her head back, Hermione's breath caught in her throat as her body shivered under the heat of his touch. His lips were leaving a burning trail down her neck while the tips of his fingers began to make small, teasing circles all along the curves of her hips. She could have sworn he had quickly dipped them between the hem of her pants and her soft, eager skin, but decided against going any further as if waiting for her to make the next move.

Her head was spinning. Every logical cell in her brain was trying to tell her why not to give in to temptation and to consider every possible outcome of their forthcoming actions. But she wasn't going to deny it to herself that while she was being held in his arms, all the pain, the sadness and fears seemed but a distant thought. Especially when he was touching her like nothing else in the world mattered. Unable to tell if they were Draco's or her own, her head was becoming filled with the loud sounds of rapid heartbeats, leaving no room for doubt.

Releasing her tight hold on his shirt, the palm of her hand brushed up against his unshaven jaw before reaching his hair that had been provoking her for days. As she ran her fingers through his silver locks, she could feel a low moan leave his mouth with the next kiss he placed on her neck.

A sudden feeling of pleasure ran across Draco's scalp as he felt Hermione grip the back of his head. The sweet aroma of her curls were falling around his face, filling his senses with the strawberry and vanilla scent he had been wanting to taste for weeks now. The succulent smell was doing a better job at intoxicating him then the whiskey ever had.

Having been away from her lips for too long, he made his way back to them, taking a quick nip at the bottom one as he did. His tongue made quick entry back into her warm mouth. She tasted like anticipation and desire, causing his heart to race even faster. As she leaned into his body, deepening their kiss, he wasn't shocked this time. Instead he was relieved. The sheer weight of her falling into him was all he needed to know that they both were casting any hesitation aside for the night and letting their actions speak for themselves.

The storm was still raging on outside, giving only quick flashes of light to illuminate the scene. As the winds continued to whip around the room, Hermione could swear the storm was almost fueling her actions. Each spark of lightning sent an electric charge down her spine and through her body, driving her uninhibited impulses.

Suddenly, she felt Draco start guiding them towards her bed. Each step felt more determined than the one before and it filled her with a mixture of excitement and nerves. Feeling the edge of the bed hit the back of her legs, Draco began to slowly push the both of them onto the chilled covers, shoving aside any books that laid in their way.

Draco's fingers had woven themselves between her long, auburn curls. His arm had wrapped itself tightly around her waist as he quickly picked her up to lay her on the bed. As her back hit the mattress, he felt their kiss suddenly break and her body start to tense. Using his arm to hold himself above her, he stared down at the witch. His breathing was labored as he watched her eyes widen with each new flash of light. _Shit. I swear to Salazar, Helga, Rowena and hell even Godric Granger, you better not start doubting this now._

Hermione's nerves were beginning to overtake her excitement. But it wasn't because she was regretting her decision to give in. It was because it had been almost two years since the last time she had been this intimate with someone.

The night with Viktor had been filled with a whirlwind of emotions. Having a famous Quidditch player give you all of his attention and be thoroughly fascinated with you can cause even the most level headed girl to swoon. The moment had caught her off guard ,and it was an exciting and new feeling. She never regretted her choices that night, but it was a night that she felt was always missed something.

But this was different. She had been living with Draco for a weeks now, watching him become this person she never could have imagined. He'd shown her how he cared about her on multiple occasions and had been there when she really needed someone. And the fact that there had been something building between them made her feel like this was something more than just being caught up in a moment. What that something was, she wasn't sure yet. But she had a strong desire to find out.

She felt his body shift over her as she continued to match his gaze. The weight she felt from him was becoming strangely comforting. Her chest was heaving, hitting his every time she inhaled. "Draco I-"

"Do you want me to stop" Draco asked suddenly. His eyes had adjusted somewhat to the dark now as he watched her shake her head.

"No, that's not it" she rushed out.

Draco let off a small sigh of relief. _Good thing I included Godric._

Hermione bit the corner of her lip. "It's just that..."

The moment her voice faulted Draco had a startling thought. "Granger, are you.. is this your first time?"

Hermione shook her head again. "No that's not it either. But, it has been awhile and I guess I'm just a little nervous."

Draco raised his eyebrow slightly. He was wondering who she could have been with, but that was a question, along with what he assumed would be a decent round of banter, for another time. He'd be damned if he let the momentum that had built between them start to fade. Pushing back a single curl that had draped across her face, his palm cupped her cheek.

"We can take it slow. If you ever want me to stop, just tell me."

Hermione slightly nuzzled into his warm hand, closing her eyes for just a moment before opening them back up. Draco's grey eyes still seemed to almost glow in the dark, piercing into hers. Whether it was the storm or the fact that she felt completely safe underneath his weight, Hermione had no idea where her next sudden impulse came from. But she let her urges guide her as she slowly and methodically began unbuttoning his shirt one by one. She held his stare, watching as one of his devilishly handsome grins crept across his face.

Draco could feel the cold air in the room hit his warm skin more and more with each button the teasing witch undid. He wanted to rip his shirt right off, along with her own, allowing the heat from their bodies to warm the chill that had now settled in the room brought in by the storm. The thought alone made something deep within him ache for more and he wanted to give his pulse even more of a reasons to race.

When Hermione finally came to the last button, she let his now open shirt drape over her. She felt like her fingers had a mind of their own as she placed her palm on his smooth, bare chest. Dragging her fingers slightly down the center of his torso, she could feel his body shudder underneath her touch. The heat she felt from his skin was melting away any remaining nerves she had.

Draco's eyes went wide in the dark as he felt the soft touch of her hand. He was taking deep, heavy breaths to try and steady his urges, allowing the air to fully leave his lungs before taking another shaky gulp. His ability to not fully devour her was quickly waning. An almost primal feeling was scratching deep within him to escape and he knew if she didn't make a move soon he'd lose the battle of containing it.

Her fingers lingered across his skin. The few brief moments where the room was illuminated, she took in every detail of his lean body. As her fingers wandered, so did her eyes. Every new flash of light helped show her even more, giving her a few extra seconds to take in his well defined frame. She knew she was staring, but couldn't help herself. And she wouldn't have regretted her curiosity if it hadn't of been for his all knowing grin that caused her stomach to flutter when she looked back up to meet his eyes.

He couldn't hold his restraint any longer. She had teased him one too many times now with the small passes she made just below his naval only to glide her hands back up his chest. And the now fiery flush of her cheeks caused his self control to fully snap.

Twisting his fingers tighter around her hair, he drew her lips to his. He could feel a small gasp leave her mouth as they met. Steadying himself on one elbow, he quickly slipped his arm out of his sleeve then proceeded to the other. Not wanting to leave the irresistible taste of her mouth, he kept their connection as he tossed his shirt to the side.

Hermione's teeth grazed the bottom on Draco's lip. The subtle nutty and caramel flavor made her want to taste him even more. Every one of her nerve fibers was on edge, allowing the slightest touch from Draco to send waves of pleasure throughout her body. She slid her hands around his neck, racking her fingers through the base of his hair. Feeling his hand slip under her sweater, he lifted her up to an almost sitting position. Breaking their kiss for only a moment, she raised her arms, allowing Draco to quickly pull her sweater over her head and cast it aside.

Draco cradled her face between both of his hands. His hard body was pressing up against her soft flesh. He nipped and sucked at her lips, tilting her head to the side to shift his attention back to her neck. As he reached around to unclasp her bra, he could feel her rapid pulse underneath his kiss. He enjoyed knowing that he could make her tremble under his touch. He enjoyed knowing even more that every time he dragged his finger up her spine, an almost whimper of excitement would escaped her throat.

Slipping his hand between them, he felt the smooth skin of her stomach before finding the hem of her pants. With one fluid motion, he untied its knot and switch sides to undo the button on his own pants. Placing a knee between her legs, he gently pushed his weight higher up her thighs.

Their breathing had labored. Draco's heart was beating so hard now he was sure it was going to burst out of his chest. He was waiting for her to tell him to stop or to slow down, but each time he took it a little further the only reaction that came from her was the confessing sounds of her wanting more. More of his touch, more of his heat, more of him.

As the pair laid back down, Hermione felt his fingers start to push the hem of her pants down her hips and past her quivering thighs. In the time it took her to exhale and her lungs to fill back up, he had slid both her pants and panties off and was working on removing his. She was becoming light headed, but the shock from his warm touch on her cool skin brought her back. Shuddering under his hand as it moved up her side to the curve of her neck, his fingers twisted around her hair, pulling just enough to send a rush of adrenaline through her.

Draco's lusty thoughts were starting to crowd his mind. The sighs and moans that were leaving her mouth were driving him crazy, sending terrible aches deep within him. With one more glance into her amber eyes with the next flash of light, he knew that her asking him to stop was not even a thought in her mind. The look she was displaying was of surrender to what they both had been feeling for days now.

He slid a hand between her thighs, feeling that her body had also surrendered to him. She was deliciously wet and more than ready for him. With slow, steady movements, he began sliding one, then two fingers in and out of her. Small, breathy moans were filling the room, reassuring him of his actions. With each new entry, he could feel her hips starting to move along with his rhythm, seemingly seeking out his touch.

Arching her back, Hermione closed her eyes and let the pressure start to build inside her abdomen. Another small pull of her hair caused a small cry to leave her lips. She heard a low moan from Draco as he continued to leave kisses where ever he could reach along her body. Suddenly a shift in his weight caused her eyes to snap open.

Draco couldn't wait any longer. Arranging himself over her, he placed a hard kiss on her lips and took a quick bite of them before finally entering her. He felt her nails dig deep into his back as he slid himself slowly deeper and deeper inside. She was tight _, so fucking tight._ And it felt incredible.

Hermione let out a small gasp of air as she felt the pressure in her abdomen sky rocket. The slight pain she felt was mixed with breathless pleasure. The only sound that was able to escape her mouth was one that would send Draco close to the edge. It was quiet, but by the way he tightened his hold around her she knew he had heard.

 _"Draco."_

The blonde wizard realized he had to take it slow to allow her a moment to catch her breath, but hearing her say his name made him realize something else as well. _Bloody hell Granger. You could moan my name a hundred times, and I would still want to hear it a hundred more._

Draco let go of her curls, focusing his hand to cup her cheek and draw her lips towards his. As he pressed firmly into her mouth, he slowly started to move his hips, hoping to ease her tense muscles. He knew he wouldn't last long, she felt too bloody amazing. But there was no way he'd give in to the pressure building inside of him before she did. Luckily the way she began to arch her back and how tighter she even felt told him she was already close too.

Hermione felt one of Draco's arm slide underneath her, slightly raising her pelvis higher. With the next thrust of his hip, she let out a loud gasp. Digging her nails even deeper into his skin, she shamelessly clung on to him. She could feel the pressure inside of her reaching its breaking point. The pain that had first been there was gone and only pure pleasure remained. She had felt herself relax, allowing him to fully reach her and bring them even closer together.

Feeling Draco's hand come from her back to her thigh, she felt a small tug as her leg followed his gesture and wrapped around his back. This new angle was what would send her over the edge. She was able to contain the pressure for just a few moments longer before finally succumbing to it.

Draco held her tight, feeling her unravel around him. He quickened his pace for a few more thrusts before becoming undone himself. His body shuddered as he allowed himself to bury his face in her neck while a low, guttural moan fell from his lips. He felt her imbedded nails start to retract from his skin which sent shivers down his spine. Her fingers began to make small circles along his spine which helped ease his racing heart back to a normal rhythm. After a few moments of silently laying on top of her heaving chest, Draco gave her neck one more kiss before rolling off to lay next to her.

Hermione stared up at the ceiling trying to collect her thoughts. Her brain was starting to finally catch up to her again, but before she was able to say anything, Draco's voice cut through the silence.

"Just stop right there Granger."

Confused, she turned her head to the side to face him.

"I know that brain of yours is probably starting to run a mile a minute right now, trying to figure out what the hell just happened. But let's just relax and enjoy the moment and maybe we can finally both try and get some sleep and talk about it in the morning." Draco turned to face her.

Hermione didn't need to figure out what just happened, she very well knew. What she did have to figure out though, was how to tell Draco that she wanted what just happened, to be able to happen again, and even again. And how she was wondering if he too felt the same way. But her body was now past the point of exhaustion and her eyes were already halfway closed. Deciding this talk was indeed better left until morning, she simply nodded her head in agreement and allowed sleep to finally take her.

Draco watched the witch's eyes flutter a few times before finally closing. Pulling one of the blankets from the bottom of the bed up, he draped it over the both of them and placed his arm under his head. The soft pounding of the rain on the window was starting to fill his tired head. Pushing back his hair a few times, he felt his body start to shut down. Before sleep finally stole him as well, a small smile crossed his face. _That green sweater, is definitely by far my favorite._

* * *

The rain had long stopped when Hermione's eyes began to flutter open, but the cool winds and gloomy sky had decided to stay. It took her a moment to realize where she was, and then an even longer moment to realize that she was a tangled mess of arms and legs. At some point in the night, their bodies had found each other. Draco's warmth was covering her like a blanket and her head was comfortably resting on his chest while his arm kept her body close to his. She could hear the slow, steady rhythm of his heart and it was trying to lull her back to sleep.

As she listened, her head began filling with every heart pounding detail from their shared experience. As she slowly shifted her legs from his, she realized they were slightly sore. _Well I definitely wasn't expecting last night to go that way._

Feeling a small squeeze around her waist, Hermione glanced up assuming to see Draco awake. But his eyes were still shut and his chest was still lazily rising and falling in slumber. Having turned her head slightly up to look at him, she noticed the clock that sat next to her bed. Although it was still quite early in the morning, she realized she had been able to find more than just a few hours of sleep. Uninterrupted sleep at that. No nightmares, no waking up in a panic, nothing but pure, peaceful rest.

As Hermione continued to feel the light brush of his breath against her hair, she started to wonder how their next conversation would go.

 _Awkward... this could be very awkward. What if he regrets it? What in Merlin's name are we going to do then? Living together will become difficult to say the least._

But she tried to remind herself that last night happened not just because she wanted it to, but because he did as well. _He was the one who came and checked on me even though I'd been avoiding him._ This thought started to ease her mind until something she remembered began to seed doubt.

The first floor girls bathroom at Hogwarts was known for one thing and one thing only. And that it was the place to go for the latest gossip. While Hermione always tried to avoid using these lavatories, it sometimes was unavoidable. In between classes, girls from all houses would gather to discuss anything and everything. And she always found it amazing how even after just one class period, the amount of new information her classmates would be able to share never seemed to diminish. During the past school year, Hermione had visited these bathrooms a few times, and although she tried to make it quick, she would still overhear some talk.

One piece of gossip in particular Hermione had heard was starting to trouble her mind which came from the queen of gossip herself. At the start of the year, Pansy would let it slip here and there to anyone who would listen about her relationship with Draco, hoping to make herself seem more important. But having now learned that they weren't actually a couple made her wonder.

 _He never denied that they were sleeping together though. I wouldn't put it past Pansy to make up some story about being together to seem closer to Draco... she always did seem a little obsessed with him. But then what does this mean for us, is this just some type of fling for him? A way to help pass the time or something... bloody hell..._

Hermione was starting to grown tense. She was now over analyzing the situation, breeding doubt and uncertainty in her head. Feeling the need to distract herself from these thoughts she slowly lifted Draco's arm off of her and left the bed. She grabbed a light shirt and her pants, placing them on with clumsy hands. Not knowing what to do next, she stood in the middle of her room, listening to the breeze waft in and out as it brought the smell of fresh rain and earth along with it.

Wondering about all the possible ways their next conversation could go, she glanced over at Draco. She noticed his Dark Mark was peeking out from under the blanket. Although her heart dropped, she couldn't look away. It wasn't so much because of what it represented, but the fact that it stained his creamy, porcelain skin. It was a burden he now carried and she had been seeing its effects on him. Hermione had always been under the impression that Draco had took the mark willingly, but these past few weeks had her thinking otherwise.

Needing to get some fresh air to help calm her thoughts, she quietly walked around the bed toward the single French door that lead out to a small balcony. As she turned the handle and pushed, she was about to take the first step outside when Draco's voice nearly made her jump out of her skin.

"It's only seven in the morning Granger and I can already hear your brain working in overdrive." Pushing himself up onto the bed, Draco leaned against the headboard.

Turning to face him, Hermione took a deep breath. "We really need to work on this whole no surprising me thing." Her eyes fell on to his bare chest, watching him rub the grogginess from his face a few times before slicking back his silvery, tussled hair. The morning provided a whole new light for her to see him in, and it was only making him look more enticing.

 _Merlin help me._

Draco gave a quick smirk before responding. "Can't make any promises on that. I won't lie, I find it a little charming how feisty you can get afterwards."

Rolling her eyes, she couldn't help but smile a little. "I hope I didn't wake you. I was trying to be quiet. I just.. wanted to step outside for a minute to get some air."

"No, it wasn't you" he replied. _Come to think of it, I don't really remember why I woke up which is a nice change._

As he sat up in bed, he noticed Hermione was chewing the inside of her cheek. She was also tapping one of her fingers on the outside of her thigh and he knew what that meant. "I'm guessing you want to just jump right into talking about last nigh-"

"Do you wish last night hadn't of happened?" The words came spilling out of her mouth before she could stop them.

She was avoiding his eyes as Draco stared at her with a questioning look. "Are you having second thoughts about what happened?"

Hermione lightly sucked the inside of her mouth. She thought she could still taste him on her tongue, making it harder for her to concentrate. "I asked you first. What does this mean.. for us?"

Draco clenched his jaw. He could tell she was becoming more and more anxious the more fidgety she became. _I'm far past denying the fact that I have feelings for her. But what exactly does she want me to say here?_

He had never been good at discussing feelings, or anything relating to emotion or affection. His father always made it clear that showing or talking about these things was a sign of weakness and was never tolerated at the Manor. His mother tried to make sure he knew how much she cared for him, but it was at the risk of his father catching her. Draco learned at an early age that if he wanted any type of approval or recognition from his father, he had to please him. And that meant living up the Family name and being breed to become the perfect Death Eater son his father always dreamed.

With each passing second, Hermione was taking his silence to mean more of what she had been fearing. Her breathing was starting to increase as she waited for his response. And after a few more moments of nothing but hearing Draco grind his teeth side to side, she figured she had her answer.

Hermione turned away from him, whispering to herself. "I knew it."

Furrowing his eyes, Draco watched as Hermione stepped out onto the balcony. He was guessing he wasn't suppose to hear her quiet comment, but he was just barely able too. Grabbing his pants and shirt, he pulled each one on quickly and made his way to join her outside.

The cool morning air hit him hard, sending a rush of energy throughout his body. Her terrace overlooked the surrounding forest and was just large enough to fit them both. She still wouldn't look at him as he join her. "Look, Granger I'm not the best at talking about these kinds of things. And besides, you can't even look at me. Ever since I've been up, all you have done is avoid me. If I ask you the question you asked me, are you able to tell me how you feel?"

The wind was blow her hair, allowing her face to almost be hidden from his view. He knew she felt something for him as well, but just like him was partly afraid of admitting it out loud, and partly too stubborn to be the first one to say it.

"Well Granger, can you tell me what this means for us? You expect me to answer the tough questions, yet I haven't heard exactly how you feel on the matter. And I think it's because you're scared."

Hermione's head whipped around to met his genuine stare. "What did you say?"

"You heard me," he said as he turned to fully face her. He started to close the gap that separated them. "I think you haven't answered your own questions because you're scared. Scared of admitting to yourself you have feelings for me, scared because if you do admit it you'll feel like you're betraying your friends and you can't stand the thought of doing so."

Hermione backed up as far as she could before the railing pressed up against her back. Draco was inching dangerously close towards her and she had nowhere left to go.

"But I also think you can't stand the thought of not admitting to yourself how you really feel about me." With one last step, Draco's chest was practically touching the very thin shirt she had slipped on.

The rain had started to lightly come back down, placing small drops all over her skin. Hermione knew what he was saying was true. Even though she had given into her feelings last night, she was still having trouble coming actually saying them. Feeling the need to escape, she tried to make a break for her room.

"Can we talk about this inside? It's starting to rain and-"

Draco place a hand between her and the door. "I'm not going to let you walk away. Not again. We can finish this here." _And besides, I suddenly have a very strong urge to see you wet._

Hermione's heart was racing. The heat she was feeling from him body was starting to lure her, wanting to become closer to the source.

Leaning in slightly, Draco dropped his voice to a whisper as he spoke in her ear. "I'll tell you what Granger. If you can answer me one question, I promise I'll answer yours. Deal?"

Her heart was now racing. His smooth, confident voice was gliding over her, making something deep within her ache as she instinctually reached out and placed a hand on his chest to stop him from coming any closer. Needing to hear his question, she slowly nodded her head.

Feeling the palm of hand slightly push him, he pushed back and leaned even closer to her ear. "Do you have feelings for me?"

Without hesitation, her voice was breathy as she quietly answered "Yes."

That's all Draco needed to hear. Placing a small kiss on her cheek, he felt her shudder underneath it. "Since you answered my question, I said I would answer yours." He wrapped his arms around her waist as he began placing more kisses along her neck. "And I promise you, when I'm done, there'll be no doubt as to what my answer is."

* * *

Note:

I'm so sorry I'm a day late! These last two weeks have really shown me how much caffeine I can really live on.

This is my first time writing any sort of intimate scene so I would love any feedback! I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. I know it's been building up to them finally being close and I hope it was worth the wait!

Probably another 2 weeks until another chapter, maybe a little sooner. My escape from studying is writing and I have a feeling I'll be needing a lot of those -_- but break is thankfully fast approaching!

Thank you for all the new follows and reviews!

 _-Toujours._


	13. Chapter 13: Honest

**Wounded**

Chapter 13: Honest

The rain had once again finally decided to stop, bringing a soft, summer glow to Hermione's bedroom. High notes of restless birds who had been cooped up by the weather started to fill the air. As the late morning turned into early afternoon, Draco's slow, steady breaths filled Hermione's ears. They had both fallen asleep again not too long ago, and it was only when the warm rays of sun began to hit Hermione's face did she wake. She was now lying next to her sleeping companion and was quite enjoying remembering the way he had so thoroughly answered her question.

The moment Draco had promised her he'd leave no doubt in her mind, he took full advantage of her small gasp of air from his touch and quickly swept his tongue inside her mouth. In a heartbeat, Draco had entwined himself with her, coiling his arm around her waist even tighter as he pressed her up against the rails. She could feel the drops of rain hit hard against her skin and make their way down her neck. Following their trail, Draco kissed, sucked and nipped his way after them. Soft whimpers fell from her lips, allowing herself to fully be devoured by him. The moment she had whispered his name, he made quick work of bringing them inside to her bed where he continued to keep his promise.

His fingers were drawn to her hair, dragging them through her heavy, damp curls and gripping them just hard enough to cause her breathing to falter. Her lips were still tender from the night before, but the slight tingle she felt every time he bit them made his kisses even more alluring. He took his time, almost teasingly so, to make sure every nerve fiber and cell in her body knew that he too had feelings for her. And even though those words were never verbally spoken from his lips, they had shown her in other ways just how they truly felt. After both had found their release to each other, Draco had let himself lay on her for awhile as her fingers lightly stroked up and down his back, making small, delicate circles along the way.

She could feel that her hair was still damp from the rain as she lay staring up at ceiling. While she was wrapped in his hold and warmth, it made her feel completely safe. A little more than a month ago they could barely be in the same room together, but now here they were. Both seeing each other for who they really were and allowing themselves to be honest about how they felt. She trusted and cared about him. And knowing he felt the same towards her gave her a sense of protection she had desperately been needing.

Although she didn't dare move and break the comfortable silence of shared, restful breaths, the pain of hunger and her parched mouth were begging her to stir. Wishing she had taken more than a few bites of soup the other night, she tried to think of the best way to wake him. Just as she was about to call out his name, the atmosphere changed.

Every muscle in Draco's body tensed and he began to shake. The hold he had around her waist began to tighten and it was slowly pushing the air out of her lungs. Hermione's heart rate quickened as she watched his face fill with agony.

She tried to raise her hand to wake him, but both her arms were caught between his tight grip and his body. Finally, she managed to work one of her hands free and firmly pressed it on his chest.

"Draco" she whispered.

When he still didn't wake, she spoke with a little more force as she shook him. "Draco, wake up."

Suddenly, she heard a sound escape his mouth.

"Please," he muttered. "Don't do this. It's my fault, don't kill her."

Hermione froze. Her eyes went wide as she held her breath, listening to his almost begging tone. _Godric, what in the world are you facing in there?_

Needing to do something to help pull him out of that dark, unforgiving place, she practically yelled his name this time as she gripped his arm and shook. "Draco!"

In an instant, Draco's eye snapped open. A harsh, rattling breath was caught in his throat as he blinked away the images that were still stained on the back of his eye lids. It took him a moment to realize that Hermione was looking at him with concerned eyes. He had a feeling he had been talking in his sleep again, worried about what he possibly could have said.

Finally catching his breath, he placed his hand on her arm and gave it a little squeeze. "You alright Granger?"

Hermione was a little taken aback by his question. "I think I should be the one asking you that. Are you ok?"

Draco continued to avoid her gaze. He felt a little too vulnerable at the moment and he really didn't want to talk about what he had just seen. Clenching his jaw, he took another deep breath before answering.

"I'm fine, just a bad dream. I hope I didn't wake you." Letting go of her arm, he began to sit himself up in bed.

Hermione's eyes never left him as she watched his movements. _He's the one who has a bad dream, and yet he's worried about me._ As he reached for his shirt, Hermione had a few guesses as to what he had been facing in there, but it seemed that he was trying to avoid talking about what had just happened. Still, she was familiar with nightmares and knew not talking about them only made them more powerful, allowing them to stay trapped in the mind with no way out.

Throwing on his shirt, he glanced over at the concerned witch. "You know, you keep staring at me like that and I'll start to think you actually like me or something."

Hermione couldn't help but smirk as she rolled her eyes. _They do say the best defense is a good offence. I guess I'll ask him about it later then._

Wrapping a blanket around her, she stood from the bed. "I'm going to take a quick shower and then head downstairs to make us some food. After the last twelve hours, I'm sure we could both use something to eat."

Draco watched her walk towards her bathroom. He was glad she had dropped the questions for the time being. "Any chance you could use some company in there?"

Pushing open the door to her bathroom, she stopped just before the frame. Playfully sighing, she answered "I would say yes with the promise of no funny business on account of my legs feel like they are about to give out on me, but knowing there's probably a zero percent chance of that happening I will say pass." She smiled at him as she proceeded into the bathroom.

Raising his voice so she could hear, he replied "I can hold you up if that's the only reason."

"I'll see you down stairs Draco" she spoke as she flicked on the shower and closed the door.

Before gathering his clothes, Draco listened to the rushing sounds of water. The smirk he had just been wearing started to fade as he began to remember the real reason for jolting awake.

 _Damn. Damn, damn, damn. I was really hoping she wouldn't see me like that._

Combing his fingers through his hair a few times, he let off a frustrated scoff before grabbing his clothes and made his way to the guest bathroom.

"I don't need to release my monsters onto her. She has enough of her own."

* * *

Hermione had let the warm water sooth her tender body. She gently rubbed her sweet scented soap deep into her muscles, enjoying how it relaxed her. After stepping out of the shower, she could hear the low murmur of Draco's shower still going. She quickly dried off and pulled her hair back into a loose braid. Picking out a simple white and blue sun dress, she was about to make her way downstairs to start preparing lunch when she realized she hadn't put the books she had duplicated away.

 _Shit... maybe he didn't notice them, maybe he just thought they were a bunch of random books..._

But as a long, defeated sigh left her, she sadly knew better. "There's no way he could have missed these. Bloody hell, I have one of the books he even drunkenly recommended for me sitting on my desk, one titled _Dark Artifacts: 1st Generation_ , and even though the other is translated in ancient ruins, I think the picture of a serpent beheading its prey kind of gives it away."

She would have to figure out how to explain this to him if he asks, but for now her stomach wasn't letting her forget how hungry she was. Shoving the books quickly back into her beaded bag, she grabbed her wand and set off for the kitchen.

Once there, she began looking through the cupboards at their food supplies. While they had taken everything they could from her parents house, it would probably only last them another few days. She had a plan as to where to get food once they became low, but she wanted to visit it as little as possible. A few miles west of her family's cabin was a town. It was small and secluded, but it was part of the reason her family picked this property to begin with. Her parents loved to get away from the city, away from work and the crazy bustle of it all. This cabin had been a place for them come and relax, with nothing but wilderness for miles. If they ever did need to make a run for food, her father would make a trip to the little market in town unless Hermione could convince him to go for a different reason. On warm, summer days, her father and her would spend the afternoon walking to town to enjoy their favorite ice cream shop. Although it took them a few hours to go there and back, they would past the time talking about anything and everything. From books, to music and movies, no subject was left untouched.

She had been thinking about the memories with her father that not only had she failed to noticed the kettle she had been filling was now overflowing with water, but that a small tear had made its way down her cheek. It wasn't until the water began to turn uncomfortably warm on her skin did she realize what had happened.

" _Bloody hell_." She shut the water off and placed the kettle on the island next to two mugs. Quickly wiping her face, she went back to taking stock of the remainder of their food.

 _Remember, you have to be strong. You have to keep moving forward. It's time to start thinking about your next step._

Making her way over to the pantry, she spotted a small, wooden door out of the corner of her eye. A narrow hallway leading outside the house had the only door down to their storage cellar. Hermione never paid much attention to it for her father was the one who would take canned goods and extras down there. He knew his daughter had a fear of small, dark places.

But now her eyes were glued to the door. _There's still probably a few things down there. If there are, maybe we wouldn't have to risk going into town for a little longer... time to get over this silly fear of yours. You've faced Death Eaters for Merlin's sake._

Slowly walking towards the door, she picked up her wand from the counter and made her way over. As she reached for the handle, she noticed her hand was slightly trembling. Once open, she tried flicking on the light that lead down the stairs.

"Seriously? The one time I try and go down there the light doesn't work."

Holding out her wand, she whispered _Lumos_ , lighting the path in front of her. She knew she could use a summoning charm to gather any remain food downstairs, but she was determined to do this. Determined to overcome. There were few things in her life right now that she had complete control over, and she'd be damned if she let one more thing have power over her. The only thing left to do was to take the first step. _You won't get locked in, there's no way. And this time you have a bloody wand._

As she tried to talk herself into it, the sounds of ticking from the kitchen clock began to drown out her thoughts. Her feet felt as if they were rooted to the ground. "Just one step, that's all."

* * *

Taking a clean pair of pants and a white button up from the bag Hermione had given him, he changed and headed downstairs. Expecting to find Hermione in the kitchen, he was a little confused when he left the hallway to find a kettle of boiling water with her nowhere in sight. When he reached the island, he was about to call out her name when he noticed her down the hall. He also noticed she was staring down into a staircase and her wand was lit.

Waiting a moment before speaking, he watched her. _I'm really starting to like muggle clothes. I guess I should work on not surprising her, but sometimes she makes it too easy. What the hell is she doing anyways?_

As he took a few steps towards her, he said "Are you just going to stand there Granger?"

When she didn't seem to hear him, he repeated himself. "Granger, you there?"

The light from Hermione's wand went out. When she heard Draco's voice, she quickly spun around to look at him. Having been caught off guard, she tried to hide the look of panic on her face, but she hadn't been fast enough.

Draco could see something was wrong. Furrowing his brow, he took a few more steps towards her. "Are you ok? What's wrong?"

Hermione shut the door down to the cellar. _Don't you dare think you've won._

Putting a smile on her face, she said "Nothing's wrong. I was just going to see if we had any extra food down there, but I'll do it later, I really should get started on making lunch."

She walked past Draco and gave him a playful shove as she did. He knew she wasn't telling the truth, he could see it in her eyes. _Well that was a fucking lie. I'm seriously starting to get annoyed with that whole Gryffindor bravery bullshit._

"You're really not going to tell me what that was all about?" He walked back into the kitchen where she pouring the boiling water into the two mugs.

Hermione looked up at him. "Is Earl Grey alright with you?"

Draco sighed. _And their stubbornness._

He took a seat on one of the bar stools at the kitchen island. "Yeah, thank you. You know one of these days you'll have to eventually answer one of my questions. Like about your bag, or about what I just walked in on. Or better yet, how about you tell me what you're doing with Snape's library stashed up in your bedroom?"

Her back was facing him as she plated the food she had just prepared, but he smirked when he saw her flinch for the briefest of moments.

 _Bollocks. I thought he'd at least wait until later to ask about them._ But she was quick on her feet, and even quicker with her words. "I just thought it was a good idea to do a little research."

"Research?" he asked.

"Well, yes. We are at war with You-Know-Who, his Death Eaters, and who knows what or who else he has recruited. It only makes sense to research and be prepared to know what we could be up against. Dark spells, possible unknown creatures, it's always good to be ready." Handing his plate of food, she sat on the stool next to him. "I didn't know exactly what books would have useful information, so to be safe I just made copies of all of them."

Hermione spoke with confidence, hoping he would believe her reasoning. She knew he had read all those books multiples times, and if anyone would know which ones talked about horcruxes, he would know. But it was too risky to ask him any question or reveal why she actually had the books. At least for the time being, she just hoped she was convincing enough to make him believe her.

Slightly narrowing his eyes, he watched Hermione take a sip of her tea. _Oh she's good. If I hadn't seen her almost drop the plate of toast she was carrying, I would almost believe her. What are you hiding?_

He followed suit and took a sip of his own tea. "What's with writing down all the children's stories? I saw all the note you had on them that you left on the coffee table."

Thinking that it couldn't hurt to at least show him what was left to her, she reached for her beaded bag off the floor and pulled out the fraying edge book with gold writing on its cover. "Professor Dumbledore left this for me and I had been translating the stories. I've never heard of _The Tales of Beedle the Bard_ have you?"

"Only about a thousand times." After taking another sip, he corrected himself. "Well, a version of them anyway."

Draco saw the confused look on the witch's face. "Let's just say, I have learned recently that my father apparently took it upon himself to.. rewrite what really happened in the stories to fit his ideals. I'll leave it at that. Doesn't it seem like a strange gift to leave you?"

She knew not to press his explanation further. Anything to do with his father probably meant trouble. She agreed with Draco though, it did seem like an odd gift to receive from her late Professor. _But knowing him, there's a reason._

Shrugging at his question, she wanted to change the topic of talking about all the strange books she was now in possession of. "So I've been looking at how much food we have left. We should be good for a few more days, but we will have to make a run for food. There's a small town just a few miles from here with a market. If I go early, right when it opens, I'm sure no one will be there. I can be in and out in five minutes."

"What makes you think I'd let you go there alone?" he asked. "There's no way that's going to happen. We can go together, and I agree we should go as early as possible. The less people see us the better."

"I'm very capable of protecting myself you know" she stated.

Draco slightly chuckled. "No one would disagree to that. I have full confidence in your abilities, believe me.." He rubbed his chest where she had hexed him at Snape's. "All I'm saying is that we should really stick together. I wouldn't feel right letting you go out there alone."

Hermione nodded her head as she smiled. "Alright, we both can go."

As the early afternoon sun flooded into the kitchen, the two companions continued to finish their meal. The air felt light and not once did the thought of the outside world come across their minds. It wasn't until Draco mentioned a book he had found did the reality of their situation start to creep back in.

Draco was gently gliding his finger up and down Hermione's arm as he took the last sip of his second cup of tea. "You know, I started reading this book I found in your guest room. For a muggle writer, he isn't half bad."

Having been enjoying the light strokes of affection from Draco, she laughed at his comment. "Oh really? And who is that?"

"Some bloke named Poe. I read a few of his stories, my favorite so far has been _The Black Cat_."

Smiling, she replied "It figures you would like the Gothic Horror stories."

"What can I say," he smirked. "It's up my alley."

"Surprisingly, his stories were one of my mother's favorites as well. My father always teased her about how one day he'd come home and find the floorboards taken up. When they first started dating, my father bought her a glass Raven on their one year anniversary. Ever since then, he always made sure to buy her a new one on their anniversary, which explains the collection over there."

Following her gesture, a glass cabinet sat next to where he had found the whiskey. On the top shelf, a whole collection of glass and ceramic birds sat inside. Looking back at Hermione, he saw the small smile on her face start to dwindle.

It was the first time he had heard her speak of her parents since the night she found them. Every time he would ask if she was doing ok, her response was always the same. He could see the pain start to fill her eyes again, but she was quick in covering it up.

Hermione had been so caught up in their conversation and how comforting it felt, she had almost forgotten what reality really had waiting for them. But there was no escape, nowhere to run. They could hide for awhile, but hiding wouldn't solve their problems. For just a little while though, things had felt almost normal, and she wasn't quite done with that feeling yet.

Putting on a smile, she said "I'll have to give you the rest of his collection to read. They're upstairs in my father's library, I can show you after we are done here."

Draco watched as Hermione stood and began to make herself busy. As she waved her wand to clean up, he rested his elbows on the counter top. _Damn it, she's getting antsy. I guess I shouldn't have brought up the books. You can't avoid me forever, I'm going to get you to talk to me eventually._

* * *

Draco had passed most of the afternoon reading the books Hermione had brought down from her father's study. She had settled herself in one of the plush chairs around the fire place with books and notes spread out on the coffee table. She had told him she was wanting to do more research, to prepare for the unexpected. But it seemed to Draco that it wasn't the 'so called unexpected' she was looking for. Every so often she would become frustrated and sigh or throw a book down in irritation. He would always asks if there was something specific she was looking for, but the same, short answers always left her lips. 'No.'

He wanted to press her a little harder for the real answer, but her temper was starting to rise as the day progressed and he thought better of it for the time being. And she wasn't the only one having their own battle of frustration raging inside their head. Draco was having a awfully hard time concentrating on reading. He had been trying to think of what his next step would be, or even what their next step would be. But he wasn't having much luck with either.

Their early afternoon had seemed so relaxed, so laid back and easy that he wished that life really was that simple. He wished they could just stay hidden in their newly formed sanctuary they had found, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't keep hold of this fantasy.

The oranges, yellows and reds mingled together as the sun began its descent. Its rays poured into the living room where Hermione was still sitting. She felt no closer to being of any help. A few times she had almost brought up the topic of talking about her maybe going to check out a few place where Harry and Ron might be, but when she noticed Draco reading the same page for almost thirty minutes, she held off.

 _I'm sure he is thinking about his mother. I don't really know what he can do for her though, their house seems to be Death Eater central and I have a feeling her husband and sister have her under a pretty close eye at the moment._

Reaching around, she undid her braid and tussled her hair a few times, letting her curls fall over her shoulders. She laid back into the familiar plush of the chair. Glancing over at Draco who sat on the sofa, she noticed his eyes had closed. The soft sounds of his relaxed breathing told her he had fallen asleep. _He looks so peaceful._

She leaned forward and rested her elbows on her knee. Burying her face in her hands, she took a deep, calming breath _. What the hell are we going to do? Avoiding our problems isn't going to solve anything. We need a plan, for sanity's sake. I need to start feeling like I'm doing something worthwhile, something that is moving forward. I just need to figure out what that something is..._

She felt a hot tear roll down her cheek and hit the bare skin of her leg. It sent a shiver down her spine as she quickly wiped the next one away before it had a chance to escape. Needing a break from the lack of progress she had on her research, she was about to stand up when she heard an almost gasp for air from the sleeping wizard.

Draco's eyes snapped open. He was breathing heavily, allowing his eyes to focus on the startled witch in front of him. _Damn, not again._

Quietly, Hermione asked "Bad dream?"

"It's nothing-"

"You were dreaming about your mother again, weren't you?" There was hesitation in her question, but she wasn't able to stop herself from asking it.

He clenched his jaw as if not wanting to answer the question. "Like I said it was nothing, I was just startled awake."

She was becoming a little irritated by his need to always cover up what she already knew. "Why don't you just talk to me? I may not be able to understand everything, but keeping it trapped inside isn't going to help you at all."

"That's rich coming from someone who can't even talk to me about her own problems." He rolled his eyes, noticing her eyes grow wide in shock.

"What in Merlin's name are you talking about?" Hermione was starting to feel her emotions get the best of her. She had already been in a state of aggravation from feeling like she was becoming useless to the cause. She didn't need any attitude from Draco at the moment.

Tilting his neck to the side, he heard a small crack. His muscles felt tense under his fingers as he pressed them deep into his shoulders. "Come on Granger, do you really think I'm that stupid? Every time I ask how you're doing you give me that generic 'I'm fine' answer. But I know you're not fine, I can see it in your eyes, the way you have to force yourself to smile." He watched her cheeks flush red. "And if we are talking about being honest with each other, how about you really tell me what's going on with all these books you have, or why were you acting so weird this morning... oh and you never did explain that bag of yours to me."

Hermione was chewing the inside of her cheek. She was trying to think of what to say to counter everything he had just said, but her brain felt fuzzy and slow. It was a feeling that she wasn't use to and she wanted it gone fast.

Trying to steer the conversation back onto him, she said "Just please tell me, are you having nightmares about your mother?"

Draco had wanted to avoid talking about this topic. It was his burden to carry and he wasn't very good at discussing his thoughts and feelings. It felt a little strange that someone actually wanted to hear about what was on his mind too. Having people in his life that truly cared about him was one luxury he wasn't accustomed to. Rubbing his forehead a few times, Draco looked Hermione in the eyes with an almost disheartening stare.

"What do you want me to say here? It seems you already know what I'm dreaming about. I'm racking my brain on how I can help her, but I come up with nothing. Not only am I the son who failed her, I also just left her in the hell hole alone and defenseless."

Hermione could feel her heart start to race. She knew he had been keeping all of this locked inside, and as his voiced become more and more angry, she could see his eyes fill with fear.

"Every night, I watch my mother die by the hands of my father, either on orders from the Dark Lord or by his own outrage. But I'm never able to save her. But that's not even the worst part..."

He closed his and looked away from her. "The worst part is the look she gives me right before she dies. She doesn't look scared or sad or angry..."

Opening his eyes back up, he glanced over at the witch. "She looks as if she's proud of me. And I think that's what kills me most of all because what the bloody hell have I done that she should be proud of?"

Her mouth felt dry as she tried to speak. "Draco, you-"

"You heard my aunt, you heard her talk about how my mother is taking the punishment for my fuck ups. I'm allowing this to happen... What kind of son does that make me?"

He felt like his chest was being compressed, finding it difficult to breath. He was starting to feel a little foolish and wasn't enjoying the feeling of being this vulnerable again. He could see her eyes start to fill with tears. Tears that were caused by him, for him. He scratched his head a few times, grabbing a handful of hair before letting go. Needing to break the unsettling silence between them that had formed, he asked "Now, will you please tell me, how are you really doing?"

The last time Draco had looked this helpless was the night she had seen him with Snape. She was trying to keep her emotions under control, but it was becoming increasingly difficult. Finally after a few long breaths, she allowed herself to speak.

"I can't tell you about the books, at least not just yet. I'm sorry. As for this morning, I don't like talking about it, but I have this fear of dark, cramped spaces. I was trying to finally be in control over something in my life and I couldn't even manage to walk down ten bloody stairs to see if there's any food down there we could use."

Draco watched as tears began spilling down her face. It made his stomach turn inside seeing her in pain. He wanted to go and comfort her, but he was finding it a little inspiring that even though she looked sad beyond all belief, her voice was strong and the look of determination in her eyes caused the sides of his mouth to twitch in a smile.

"The bag well, I placed an extendable charm on it because Harry, Ron and I were suppose to travel. I also can't tell you why or where, but we had a plan. And now there is no plan, no way of knowing where the bloody hell they are and I feel absolutely useless right now. I need a plan, I _will_ make a plan." She could feel her body shaking with frustration.

"To answer your question on how I am doing, no, I'm not fine. Being in this house, seeing memories of my parents everywhere I look is killing me inside. But I know they would want me to be strong, and I'm not going to allow myself to fall apart. The world won't wait for me to get over my problems, and this war certainly won't be won with me sitting around feeling sorry for myself."

Each of them refused to break the eye contact they now had with each other. It was becoming harder and harder to see as night was now taking over the sky. The only sounds that could be heard was the loud pounding of Hermione's heart and Draco's deep, steady breaths. It was Draco again who broke the silence between them.

"Do you feel a little better?" he asked.

Hermione blinked her eyes a few times to help push away the last remain tears that clung to her lashes. While her small outburst didn't put her any closer to finding the answers that she needed, she had to admit she did feel a little more in control of her life. Not talking about one's fears only give it more power, and it she didn't feel so alone knowing that she wasn't the only one with problems to face.

Nodding her head, she calmly answered "Yes. Thank you for listening to me. I'm sorry if-"

"There's absolutely no need to apologize for anything. I do warn you though, I am going to keep bugging you about those books." He gave her a little smirk and was relieved to see a small smile spread on her face.

"You wouldn't be you if you didn't" she said.

Nodding his head, he gestured for her to join him on the couch. "Come here."

As she seated herself next to him, he placed his arm around her waist and settled them both into the couch. Placing a few choice kisses on her neck he said "We'll figure this out. I mean I'm an ex- Death Eater, on the run, who probably has Merlin knows how many people after him and has pissed off all the wrong people. And you are a third of the Golden Trio, also on the run, who has Death Eaters and countless other people searching for you as well. But we'll figure this out, one way or another."

Hermione gave a playful jab into his side, but he was right. They were both wanted for different reason, but being hunted none the less. "So, what's your plan then?"

Placing another kiss on her forehead, he said "First how about you tell me a little more about this fear of yours. I think that will be the easiest place to start."

* * *

Although the sun was about to make its appearance back in the sky, the two still had no intentions of going to bed. They had been talking all night, from Hermione telling Draco the story about the source of her fear, to Draco explaining the few ideas he had thought of to help his mother.

"You know that sounds absolutely insane right?" Hermione arched her eyebrow at him. She had made them a pot of tea and was swirling the last remain sipfulls in her cup. "I mean there has to be another way."

"I've been trying to come up with a different plan, but nothing comes to mind. I know that house inside and out. The amount of secret passageways I have found over my childhood are almost endless and I'm sure they don't even know about half of them."

"But how will you be sure to find her? And the amount of security they probably have around your house-"

"I know, I know" he said as he tried to rub the stress off his face. "Like I said, my ideas usually end up with my death so yeah, they need a little work."

Shaking her head, Hermione glanced at the time.

"That's the tenth time you've looked at the clock tonight Granger, you expecting someone?"

"No," she said sarcastically. "I've just been thinking. I know I said we had enough food for another few days, but even if there is food downstairs, it would only get us by another day maybe. My parents didn't like to leave a lot down there when we weren't here. I was just thinking since we are still up and it's Saturday morning, maybe we should go to town now. Less people are likely to be there too since it's the start of the weekend and if we leave soon, we could get there right when it opens."

"If you think that's best then yeah we can go. When should we leave?"

"We should probably get going now. If we walk to the end of the driveway, we should be out of the range of my protective barriers and we can apparate from there."

Draco lifted her legs off of his lap and onto the floor. "Alright, let's just be quick about this."

After they both changed into clothes that hid them more, they started to make their way down the driveway. The air was dewy and chilled on their skin. Once they reached the end of the drive, Hermione took Draco's hand and apparated both of them to the outskirts of town. Hermione had been right in thinking it would be vacant. From the top of the hill, they could see almost the whole of the village. The cobblestone streets were deserted and the only sounds they could hear were the crunch of frosted over grass under their feet.

As Hermione checked her watch, she whispered "Should just be a few more minutes. We can wait back here until we see them open."

Draco looked around at the view. It was hard to think there was a war going on out there when everything around him seemed so peaceful. The amount of Bluebells that surrounded him made him feel like he was standing in water. He had been a little anxious at the start of their journey, but something about this moment was relaxing him. It wasn't until he felt a small tug on his sleeve did he realize Hermione was talking to him.

"Draco, do you see it?"

He was about to question her on what she was talking about when he saw what was making her continue to tug on his arm. A small barn owl was flying their way, making its descent rather quickly. When he saw what it was carrying, it made him hold his breath.

In an instant, the owl had landed on the branch above them and dropped the folded parchment it had held between its talons. As it landed on the ground next to them, her heard Hermione gasp.

She reached down and picked up the sealed parchment. "Who do you think it's from?" she whispered as she began to open it.

Draco didn't have to guess, he knew. He knew the moment he looked for the tell-tale sign and found the tiny, green inscribed 'D' on the corner. _Mother._

* * *

Note:

SURPRISE! This week was my spring break and I wasn't sure if I would be able to write a new chapter during it, but! I have spent my time off reading and writing and it has been exactly what I needed :)

I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. We are starting to get into the heart of the story and things will definitely start to speed up. (also a quick side note, the time line of this story and the book won't be the same and some events will also be different)

I mentioned The Black Cat by Edgar Allan Poe, I am a HUGE fan of his. Gothic Horror is definitely up my ally as well!

Sadly I do start school again Monday so this time it will be another 2 weeks before an update. Thanks for all the positive reviews on my last chapter!

- _Toujours._


	14. Chapter 14: Ex animo

**Wounded**

Chapter 14: Ex animo

Hermione noticed her hands were slightly trembling as she broke open the wax seal and began unfolding the parchment. However, when she found it to be blank, she was more than a little confused. Lost for words, she looked up at Draco to see him avert his eyes. His inability to make eye contact with her made her wonder if he knew something she didn't. Turning the parchment over a few times to see if she had missed anything, she was about to question him about the meaning of the blank letter when she noticed the small, 'D' at the bottom corner of the page.

As her chest began to tighten, she whispered "Draco.."

Draco's heart had leapt into his throat and he felt very close to being ill. As he watched her start to slowly hand him the letter, he hesitated before reaching for it. Taking a deep breath, he tried to steady his nerves.

"It's from my mother," he said under his breath. "She has placed a type of concealment charm on the letter. Only the person who knows the exact phase can reveal what it says."

Taking out his wand, he muttered the words " _Post tenebras lux"_ and the blank page began to fill with the familiar, elegant, cursive writing that had been forged in green ink. Trying to stay calm, he began reading.

 _Son,_

 _I don't know if, or even when this will reach you, but I knew I at least had to try. Sending you this letter is a risky move, but I thought it would be even riskier to not warn you._

 _I'm sure you know they're looking for you, and a few other chosen people. The Dark Lord has put a reward on your head, available for both his Death Eaters and those who wish to join his inner circle. They will stop at nothing to be the one who finally brings you in. From what I overhear though, you seem to be doing a very good job at evading capture. The Dark Lord has now completely taken over the Ministry and has already begun implementing the plans you over heard this past summer so you must be extra careful._

 _Coming anywhere close to home would be suicide. I know you, and I have a feeling you will want to come to my rescue like always, but I must ask you to please not worry about me. Your father has been so busy with his duties, he is hardly ever home. I promise I am doing well and staying out of the way as much as I am able to._

 _I know I have asked a lot of you these past few years, and I know this past summer had been especially difficult. Sometimes I wish I would have been a better mother for you, a mother who should have saved her son from this life when she had the chance. At least I was able to raise a son who took his chance when it was given, even though I know it mustn't have been easy. You're strong, stronger than I ever could hope to be and I envy that._

 _Please don't write back whatever you do. This will be the last time, at least for awhile, that I will be able to write to you or receive any letters. Be safe, stay hidden, and know that I love you._

 _-Ex animo_

Hermione watched Draco's eyes dart back and forth as he read the note. Not having realized she was holding her breath, she finally released the air that had been trapped as her fingers began to fidget. She kept watch around them, making sure no one was still around. Nothing but the small rustle of leaves and the quiet sounds of Thrushes singing filled her ears. When she finally saw Draco look up from the letter, she unknowingly held her breath again for his response.

Too many thoughts and too many sudden impulses were now running through Draco's mind. He had never been very good at controlling his temper, but he knew they were vulnerable standing outside right now and venting his frustrations out loud was not an option. After a few long, deep breaths, he handed the note over to Hermione.

"Here," he said. "Just read the last line out loud when you're done."

Slightly jumping from the break in silence, she saw the pain he was trying so hard to hide. He was still having a difficult time looking her in the eyes and by the tone in his voice, the letter was anything but good news. She reached out and took the parchment and began to read.

While waiting for Hermione to finishing looking over his mother's note, he glanced upwards to look at the owl who had delivered it. The pale, brown owl with black and white speckles was staring down at him. Its eyes seemed to be having difficulties staying open, making him wonder just how long the bird had been searching for him. As he watched it snap his beak a few times, he began to furrow his brow.

 _Something's wrong here, this isn't right. Where the hell did she get that kind of bird?_

Before he could think about this matter any further, he heard Hermione mutter _'ex animo'_ and lowered his gaze back on to her. He watched as his mother's handwriting began to vanish from the parchment and become the blank canvas it had originally been.

Seeing the look of concern in her eyes, he quickly said "We should get going down to the market, I just saw the owner open the door. We shouldn't be out here for too long. If that owl found us this quickly being outside of the boundaries of your protection charms, who knows who else could find us."

He took the note from her hand and shoved it in his pants pocket. She watched as he began walking past the tree line and making his way down the hill. Even more lost for words now, Hermione didn't know what else to do but follow him. Quickening her pace to catch up, she reached out to grab his arm.

Keeping her voice quiet, she said "Are you alright? We could do this a different day-"

"No," he blankly stated. "Let's get the food and leave." Noticing the unsettling look on her face , he tried to reassure her. "Really, I'm fine. We've already come this far and I'll deal with this" he said tapping his pocket, "when we get back to your place. I just need to focus on one thing right now."

Knowing not to press him any further, she let go of his wrist and tried to shift her concentration on the task at hand. She could feel him becoming distant with her, but she was trying to not take it personally.

 _I can't even imagine what is going through his mind right now. I myself have so many questions for him, I'm sure he has even more for himself. I'll have to be careful how I approach this. I may want to rethink my decision on not including him, at least on some matters. It seems like he knows more than I thought._

Their footsteps were echoing off the cobblestone streets now. The sun had begun warming the chilled morning air as shop keepers slowly began to make their way to their respective businesses.

Before Draco reached for the door handle into the market, Hermione stopped him. "We'll make this quick. We need to stay close to each other and I'll handle paying at the end. You sure you're alright?"

Watching him give a simple nod, she sighed and gestured back in understanding. Taking his hand, she gave him a slight squeeze and said "Let's go."

* * *

By the time the duo had apparated back to the end of the driveway, the early morning sun had brought with it a soft, golden glow that blanketed the tree tops. They casted shadows down onto the paved driveway as the winds carried away the last remaining evidence of the cool morning air. As Hermione walked next Draco, she watched as he reached in his pocket for the third time, but deciding not to take out the note.

Gripping her beaded bag, she at least felt a little relieved the trip had been a success. They had made it out in less than fifteen minutes and had been the only ones in the store the whole time apart from the owner. She'd made sure to grab enough supplies to last them a few weeks and even picked up a few items that could come in handy. Once they paid, they walked up the hill out of view, placed the groceries in her bag and made their way back to the cabin. Draco had been quiet the entire time, giving only a few nods to answer any questions that she asked. He still looked lost in thought, but the fact that he refused to let go of her hand help settle some of her nerves.

As they made their way inside her protective barriers, she stopped them just short of the house. "I think I should go around the perimeter to re-cast the enchantments. They will be wearing off soon and I don't want any weak points in them."

Turning to face her, Draco instinctively replied "I'll come with you."

Smiling at his almost need to protect her, she shook her head. "I promise I won't be long. Why don't you go inside and make us some tea while I do this."

Taking a moment to think about her proposal, he didn't have the energy to protest and agreed. "But if you're not inside in fifteen minutes I'm coming to look for you."

Feeling him place a soft kiss on her lips, she watched him make his way into the house. Turning to head down towards the back, she made sure she wasn't in sight of any windows. Setting her bag down, she opened the drawstring top and reached inside to find the newspaper she had bought from the market. As she was checking out, a few of the front page stories had caught her eye. She had slipped it in with all the other purchases and had been anxious to read them.

Scanning the headline of the first page, her heart began to sink. "Another family found killed as the string of mass murders continues." Reading the article as quickly as possible, she had a terrible feeling she knew who was behind them. "Police are still trying to find the culprits behind these killings. No sign of forced entry has yet to be found in any of the homes and no witnesses are stepping forward at this time with any leads... bloody hell." Quick flashes of her parents sitting in their own blood shot through the back of her mind. Shaking her head to rid herself of these images, she began flipping through the rest of the pages. A few other headlines stood out to her.

 _A collapsing bridge... strange weather patterns... a rise in depression... for Merlin's sake_

Folding the newspaper back up, she shoved it in her bag and took a seat on the old, wooden swing. Twirling her curls between her fingertips, she tried to sort the many thoughts that were now intruding her brain. _I'll have to show Draco this, he would want to know. He already has so much to think about... but as do we all I guess._

Pulling her hair back into a low ponytail, she took a deep breath before standing back up _. I still need to ask him what his mother meant by 'plans he heard over the summer'. I wonder if they have anything to do with what's happening._

She had a good feeling that they did, but she would have to find out later. Taking out her wand, she began to make her way around the perimeter of the house. Having to start over on a few of the charms because of her strained mind, she cursed under her breath.

"I hope Harry and Ron are alright, hopefully somehow they have found a way to stay safe." She bit the inside of her cheek. "Maybe.. maybe I should ask Draco what he knows about horcruxes. He may have even heard about them while at the Manor without even realizing it. What they are or where they could be hidden. Anything at this point could help."

Still, Hermione was hesitant about revealing exactly what they were looking for. It wasn't that she didn't fully trust him, but more of the fact that the less people knew about their plan, the better.

 _Safer._

As she finally placed the last of her concealment charms around the house, she began walking up back to the front. It wasn't until she closed the front door and started making her way to the kitchen did she realize how exhausted she really was. Upon entering the brightly lit living room, she found Draco slouched in the couch.

He had revealed his mother's note again and had laid it on the coffee table in front of him. The green ink almost glistened in the sunlight. His head was resting in the palm of his hand as his fingers slowly pulled their way through his hair. Having now read the note multiple times to the point of almost being able to recite it word for word, he was finding it difficult to look at. Noticing Hermione enter the room, he turned his head to look at her.

"Everything go alright?"

Giving him a small smile, she nodded her head. "Yes, we should be good for a little while before I should redo them again." Making her way into the kitchen, she set her bag on the counter top. Opening it, she pulled the bags of supplies out and began putting them away.

The room began to grow uncomfortably quiet. Both of them knew their next topic of conversation, but it seemed neither one of them wanted to be the one to bring it up. Hermione flicked her wand, and the last can of food placed itself in the proper cabinet.

 _Well this is silly, just ask him if he wants to talk about the note. He has to know we will have to eventually._

Closing up her bag, she started playing with her lower lip. Before she could find her voice to ask if he wanted to talk, his tired voice spoke first.

"I swear, I can actually hear when you're thinking too hard." He met her eyes with a smirk. "Why don't you come join me and have some tea."

Smiling, Hermione followed his nod to the coffee table. She saw he had brought over two mugs and as he waved his wand, they filled with steaming water. Seeing his mother's letter sitting next to them, she noticed he had made the message appear again.

As she walked over to the couch to take a seat next to him, she said "Thank you for the tea." Taking a sip, the soothing smell of chamomile filled her nose. Its warmth spread through her body as the sweet taste hit the back of her throat. A little puzzled, she asked "You added honey to it?"

Giving her a confused look back, he replied "Yeah, you usually drink your tea with honey don't you?"

"Well, yes but how did you know that?"

Draco began to chuckle. "Come on Granger, give me a little credit. I do pick up on some things."

Seeing her quickly sweep her tongue across her lips to savor the sweetened tea, he couldn't help but watch. _Besides, thanks to you now every time I taste honey all I can think about is kissing you._

Enjoying another sip of her tea, Hermione tried to hide her pleased smile. She eyed the letter again, trying to figure out a way to bring the subject up. However, Draco must have noticed her staring at it because he picked it up and handed it to her.

"If you're trying to read it, you don't have to try and hide it, but if you're waiting for me to bring it up, I wouldn't count on me for that. At least not now. I don't know about you, but I can hardly keep my eyes open. And as for the hundreds of questions I'm sure you're dying to ask me, I can promise you I'm probably trying to answer at least half of them myself still."

Hermione took the letter from him, but placed it on her lap. "We really need to talk about this though."

Sighing, Draco leaned back onto the arm of the couch. "Yeah, yeah, I know we do." He rubbed his tired face a few times. "I'm just asking we don't talk about it now. I'm sure you're just as tired as I am. Let's try to get a few hours of sleep at least."

He watched as her mind began racing again. He knew she wasn't very happy with his idea once her foot began tapping in place. "I just can't do this right now. It's been a long night and even longer morning and the amount of shit that's going through my brain is making my head pound."

Hermione had questions, so many, many questions. She had a slight feeling he was doing his best to avoid the topic for as long as possible, but she also understood that he wasn't in any mood to talk about it and pushing him was not a good idea. Nodding her head, she said "Alright, we will talk about all this later then."

Settling himself into the corner of the sofa, he placed one leg up on to it and gestured to her to join him. Reassuringly he said, "Come over here."

Placing herself between him, she laid her back against his chest. His arms wrapped around her waist and felt a small squeeze. She shifted her weight into him as he adjusted the both of them to a more comfortable position. Her head rested on his shoulder, feeling his warm breath brush against her neck. It sent a shiver down her spine, but enjoyed it when she felt him squeeze just a little tighter. His warmth was luring her quickly into slumber.

Quietly, she asked "Do you promise you'll talk to me later?"

Draco's eyes had already started to close. Her question barely registered with him, but he gave her the reassurance she needed to hear. "We will talk later."

Feeling her relax further into him, he noticed she had still been holding onto the letter. As she began to fold it up and place it back on the coffee table, without using her wand he heard her whisper _'ex animo'_ and watched as the green writing began to disappear.

Giving her a soft kissed on the top of her head, he smiled. _Show off_.

* * *

Draco's eyes began to slowly open. Even before he was fully able to wake, the weight from Hermione that had been there before he fell asleep was gone. Instead her presence had been replaced by a faded, blue woven blanket. Slowly, he sat up from the couch and stretched. As he looked around, he found Hermione at the kitchen island. She had spread out her books and had her face buried in one he recognized by the papyrus paper and aged, red script.

"You've been up long?" he asked her.

Setting her book back on the counter, she looked over at Draco. Although he had managed to sleep a few hours, he still looked drained. She knew sleep was in short supply for both of them, but she at least hope what they did find was undisturbed. Instead of sleep being a safe place to escape to, it had turned into a world that was just as terrifying as their reality.

She stood from the stool, grabbed her bag and made her way back over to join him. "No, not long. I just wanted to do a little more reading before you woke up. How'd you sleep?"

Pushing back his blonde hair, he let off a small scoff. "I'm guessing probably as well as you did."

Giving him a knowing look, she slightly smiled and nodded her head. As she picked up her bag and set in on her lap, Hermione began rummaging around it. When she finally found what she was looking for, she unfolded the newspaper from earlier and handed it to him.

"I picked this up when we were at the market today. It's a safe bet to guess what the real cause behind them are."

Draco took the paper from her and began to read. The headline was all he needed to see to figure out what she had meant. He could feel his blood start to boil with every new word he came across.

Hermione watched Draco's eyes widen in anger. They were furiously reading the print, flipping from one article to the next. When he finally finished reading the last page, she slightly jumped as he threw the paper on the table.

"Bloody hell." He took a few deep breaths to try and help control his anger. "Well, it seems like he succeeded getting the allies he wanted."

Confused, she asked "What do you mean?"

"Giants, dementors, who knows what the fuck else. Last I knew he was having trouble swaying them, but it's clear that issue has been resolved."

Knowing his temper was quickly growing, she tried to talk as calm as possible to him. "Are these the plans your mother was talking about in the letter?"

His jaw clenched. He had hoped that he wouldn't have been the one to tell her of what was to come, or really what had already started. A little ashamed at the fact he had sort of been a part of the whole planning process, he didn't know how to tell her. Sitting in those meetings over the summer was pure torture. Although he never spoke at them, having the Dark Mark meant never missing one or be ready to face the consequences. It was here that he was assigned the tasks of killing Dumbledore and finding a way into Hogwarts. All of which would lead to more horrible outcomes.

Averting his eyes from her questioning stare, he asked "You really want to do this now?"

"I mean, you did promise you'd talk about it with me. We can't keep avoiding this forever Draco. This is the first piece of information or contact with anyone since what, Snape left us the first night at his house? I thought you'd be at least a little relieved to hear from your mother, I know how worried you've been about her,"

She watched as he tilted his head to the side, hearing his neck pop a few times in the process. "What is it? Please, just talk to me. What did the message mean when she said 'the plans you overheard this summer'? What plans?"

After a long moment of silence, he kept his gaze towards the fireplace and finally answered. "They aren't good Granger. I don't want to get into all the specifics right now, but the plans range from going out and hunting down muggles to sorting out who the muggle-borns are and detaining them. I say detain loosely too, from what I heard it will be more like locking them away somewhere and who knows what will happened to them. My father would talk about tracking them down and murdering muggles like it was some kind of fucking sport. I even overheard them talking about putting out rewards for people to bring blood traitors and muggle-borns in. I'm guessing they are also some of the one's out looking for me that my mother wrote about. Can't even imagine the price on my head."

Draco still refused to make eye contact with her. He could feel her hanging on every word that came from his mouth and her stare was piercing into him.

"..and you can forget about going to look for Potter and Weasel wherever you were thinking. Unless they are at some super, top secret, hidden place you can bet that the Dark Lord is also looking for them there as well. He'll have look outs everywhere for them too. It'd be way too risky to go looking for them unless you know for a fact they are there."

Hermione felt ill. Everything she had read that morning was tying together. Voldemort now had the entire Ministry under his control and all hell was breaking loose. As she continued to listen to Draco, everything around her was turning slightly foggy around. The need to have her best friends beside her at the moment was becoming almost overwhelming to the point of needing to hold back tears.

"Something's been bothering me too." he said.

"What do you mean?"

Draco picked up his mother's note and began examining it. "I know this is going to sound insane, but trust me when I say that the owl that brought it was not one of ours, or any one's that my mother would have contact with. I'm sure everyone she is involved with right now is probably watching her closely. If my aunt is any indication, I'm sure other people are wondering if she has any contact with me."

Glancing out of the corner of his eye, he saw that what he was saying did sound crazy. "My family owns nothing but Eagle Owls, and no one in my family, or anyone they would affiliate with, would own anything so 'common' as a barn owl. I know it sounds strange, but trust me Granger, it's definitely not normal. I just can't figure out where she sent this letter from."

Hermione watched as Draco continued to turn the paper over again and again, as if hoping to find some sort of answer to his question. "At least you heard from her, you know she's alive. I know you've been worried about her."

He scoffed. "Yeah I heard from her, but some of that letter was bullshit. She's lying to me about my father not being around and her staying out of the way of everything that's going on. You heard what my aunt said at Snape's. Running her mouth about how my fucking father and the Dark Lord have been punishing her, making sure she understands what a failure of a son she raised."

"She just didn't want you to worry, and she wants you to be safe. I know you were thinking about trying to go to your house to help her, but even she has said to stay away."

"Like hell," he snapped. "This letter just proves to me more how soon I need to go there, to figure out a plan"

"You can't be serious?" Hermione was a little shocked. His own mother told him it would be fatal to attempt to rescue her, suicide. _How in Merlin's name does he expect to get her out of there?_

Draco was becoming annoyed. He was never one to be told he couldn't do something, especially when his mind had already been made up. "Of course I'm serious. There has to be a way, I just need to figure out what that way is."

"If you want to talk about sounding insane, I think that time is now. You could get yourself killed! It isn't safe. I know you want to help your mother, but you should really reconsider or at least think of a different way. Just walking up to your house seems too risky-"

"Damn it Granger," he snapped. "I know you think you know everything, but sometimes you really need to just know when to butt the hell out."

Hermione gasped at his outburst towards her. She had always let Draco's temper roll off her shoulders, knowing not to let him get to her. But something was different, they were different. His words had stung, a little more than she cared to admit. Suddenly, she felt one of the hot tears she had been keeping in spill down her face. More than hating the fact that his words got to her, she hated those tears even more. Her chest was now heavy and it took everything in her to not fire back.

Draco could have hexed himself at that moment. The second he had spoken those words he knew he had hurt her and that killed him. Seeing her cheeks flush with anger and them glisten with pain told him he needed to fix this fast. But before he was even able to say anything, he watched as she stood from the couch.

"You know Malfoy, you can be a real _prick_ sometimes." Grabbing her wand and bag, she headed out of the room and up the stairs.

He knew she used his last name as a way to get to him, and she was right in thinking it would do so. Hearing it made something in him twitch with discomfort. It was cold and distant, all of which he knew he deserved.

 _Fucking hell, you finally get something good in your life and you can't even manage to hold on to it. You have to go and mess everything up._

He knew what he had to do. Picking up the note, he folded it back up and put it in his back pocket. As he made his way to her room, he could hear the hum of the shower. Relieved she had not locked her bedroom door, he slowly opened it and walked towards the bathroom. Stopping just outside the door, he hesitated.

 _Maybe I should give her some space. I'm not a huge fan of myself right now, I'm sure she feels the same._

After another moment, his impatience once again got the best of him and pushed open the door. The room had already begun to fog with the sweet smell he had grown to like so much. He could hear the drops of water hit her skin before making their way to the tiled floor. A frosted, glass door was the only thing separating them now, still able to make out the curves of her silhouette.

"You know" he said. "Those looks you give can do more damage than some hexes."

Hermione had heard Draco come in and was still debating on whether or not she wanted to tell him to leave. "What do you want Malfoy?"

Draco tensed. He really found her using his family's name painful to hear. "You never let me answer your question."

She paused. "What question?"

He smiled. "About me being a prick. The answer is yes, I do know that."

Rolling her eyes she replied "If you're trying to be funny I'm honestly not in the mood. If this is you trying to apologize you're not doing a great job."

Leaning back onto the sink counter, Draco sighed. He watched as her shadow on the door moved and sway. Her intoxicating scent was becoming distracting as he forced himself to look away. "Yeah, I know. This has never really been something I'm good at."

"I'm surprised. You would think all the times you've been an arse you'd be good at this sort of thing. Of course, seeing as how you're also stubborn, short tempered and always thinking you're right could pose a problem.

Draco chuckled. "Damn Granger, why don't you tell me how you really feel."

There was a silence now between them which Draco took as her answering 'I don't think you'd want to know' _. Just suck it up and apologize._

"I know you were just trying to help me and I shouldn't have went off on you like that. It's no excuse, but I just fucking snapped. I guess hearing you tell me the only plan I had to help my mother wasn't an option anymore and it made me feel useless. I know it's risky, but it's the only idea I have." He took a deep breath before continuing. "I'm sorry though, really"

Hermione listened to Draco. She could tell he wasn't used to admitting he was wrong, which for some reason she found a little endearing. _A real Draco apology. I think if I told anyone I heard one of those they wouldn't believe me._

She closed her eyes and stuck her head under the hot, running water before answering. "I'll help you then."

Draco furrowed his brow. "What do you mean?"

"I'll help you make a plan. And since you're still going to help your mother, I want you to know I'm still going to look for Harry and Ron. I'll just have to be smarter on how I do it."

"No." he stated "No way in hell, they are sure to catch you. Do you know how many people they have looking for you guys or at how many places?"

"I don't see how my idea is any more dangerous than yours. At least I'm not knowingly going to walk into a home full of Death Eaters and bloody hell, You-Know-Who could even be there. At least I have a semblance of a chance of not being found."

Draco didn't like what he was hearing, but she had a point. If he was going to be risky, how could he tell her not to behave the same way. _This is Granger we are talking about. Being risky seems to be a normal routine for her._

"We'll talk about this more when you're done with your shower. I'll leave you to finish." He took a few steps towards the door when her voice made him stop.

"Draco," she said quietly. "You need to take a shower don't you."

He couldn't help but grin. He turned and started to unbutton his shirt. Slipping off the rest of his clothes, he opened the frosted door that had once stood in his way and slipped inside to join her. The fog had become thick, having been trapped behind it for so long. She was facing away from him. Hundreds of water droplets were running down her back, trailing down her legs. He slowly approached her, using all the restraint he had to not just reach out and push her up against the wall.

Hermione felt his fingers lightly graze her skin before his lips began making trails along her neck and back. Her body instantly flooded with goose bumps as she turned to face him. "I promise" she said between soft kisses. "I'll do what I can to help you plan this-"

Draco interrupted her sentence with a harder placed kiss. "Let's not talk about that now, not here." His fingers began making their way through her long, wet curls. He turned the two of them around before backing her up against the slate, tiled wall. "Besides, I promise the next thing you say won't have anything to do with that."

Feeling her heart jump, Draco quickly made it clear as to what he meant. His hands seemed to be discovering her for the first time, wandering their way wherever they could reach. She felt as if he needed her closer than what was physically possible, and even though they were already joined as close as two people could be, she loved the feeling of him trying.

He may not have been very good at apologizing or telling her exactly how he feels, but he was sure as hell going to show her. The soft sounds of her gasping for air between each kiss sent him closer to the edge. She was warm and wet, and the feeling of her soft skin under his hands made him want to never stop touching.

 _I'll make sure you know Granger just how truly sorry I am._

* * *

An hour later, the two were finishing getting dressed in Hermione's room. Draco grinned as he saw a few purple and blue smudges along her neckline as she pulled her hair back in a braid.

Noticing his stare, she asked "What are you smiling about?"

"Nothing at all. Finish up getting ready and I'll meet you downstairs. We can start writing down my ideas, drawing a few things out... and also talk about how I'm still not alright with you going out to look for them."

Sighing, Hermione nodded and said "See you down there."

As she walked over to her bed, she heard the door click shut behind her. Grabbing her bag, Hermione began taking out her notes on where Harry and Ron could be when she knocked something over.

"Bollocks."

Reaching in to see what she had hit, she pulled out a small, corked vial. As she read the label her breath caught in her chest. Instantly, an idea began to form in her head, an idea she was sure Draco would not approve of.

 _But, it may be my only option._

Hesitating before looking for the other vials needed, she quickly grabbed them before heading out.

"Now where in the world did I put that Fluxweed?"

* * *

Note: I really loved writing this chapter, I hope you all enjoy reading it! Thank you everyone for the amazing reviews from the last chapter :)

I used two Latin phrases this chapter. The first is "post tenebras lux" which means "after the darkness, light" and "ex animo" which means "from the heart".

Next chapter will be another 2 weeks. Summer break can't come soon enough that's for sure.

Happy Easter everyone!

- _Toujours._


	15. Chapter 15: Horcrux

**Wounded**

Chapter 15: Horcrux

The late afternoon light was glistening off the still surface of the pond, reflecting on to the walls of the kitchen. Sunlit clouds slowly crawled across the skyline, giving Draco the impression time was almost standing still. He had come downstairs intending to make them something to eat while they discussed future plans, but the unmoving, almost serene feeling he felt when he walked in had transfixed him.

They were hidden here, away from the war that seemed to be spreading like that plague. There had been several times now where he had almost forgotten what the world actually held for them outside these walls, but now with his mother's letter and having read about how the plans he'd feared had already begun, the truth was quickly disintegrating away the barrier between reality and his false sense of security.

Hearing the chiming of the kitchen clock, Draco's mind came back to the present. With a long sigh of irritation and exhaustion, he continued toward the pantry and pulled out what he needed. After a few moments of preparation, he had plated their food and was about to pour the tea when he heard Hermione's footsteps sprinting down the stairs.

With her brass cauldron clutched in one hand and vials and her bag in the other, Hermione was taking two steps at a time down to the first floor. Upon entering the kitchen, she walked over to the island and placed her belongings on top of them.

Excitement in her voice, she said "I don't know why I haven't started this yet."

Draco watched as she began to organize her newly acquired items. Confused, he asked "What are you talking about?" Jokingly, he added "You planning on brewing a potion or something Granger?"

Hermione smiled. "That's precisely what I'm doing. I should have started making this the moment we arrived here, but I guess better late than never right?"

As she started to set up her cauldron and measure out the necessary ingredients, she caught the confused look on Draco's face. "I'm sorry, sometimes I forget to fully explain my thought process. I found the ingredients I had... borrowed from the stock room at Hogwarts and I think we should brew a batch of Polyjuice potion, if not to maybe help us with both our plans but to at least have on hand. I mean, it can only help us really."

Raising an eye brow, he was a little impressed. "That can be tricky, you really know how to make Polyjuice potion?"

She chuckled. "Don't sounds so surprised, and yes I do." Without thinking of the question Draco would ultimately ask following her next statement, she added "I actually made it my second year. Although its effects were less than ideal for me for reasons I won't mention, it was a perfectly well done potion if I do say so myself."

Even more impressed now, Draco's curiosity beg the question, "Why in Merlin's name did you brew Polyjuice potion in second year?"

Hermione paused, biting her lower lip. _Should have thought that out before I said anything. How am I suppose to explain this one to him._

"Well," she said slowly. "You see, when the Chamber of Secrets was opened, Harry, Ron and I had decided to do a little investigating, trying to hopefully find out who the Heir of Slytherin was."

"So why did you need Polyjuice potion?" he asked.

Chewing on the inside of her cheek now, she was trying to word every sentence very carefully without revealing it was Draco who they had not only suspected, but questioned without him knowing. "We had an idea of who it might be at the time, but without questioning this person we couldn't know for sure. So we had to find a way to talk to this person, ask them questions without them knowing who we really were so they would talk freely to us. The only logical solution was to become their friends. It worked out quit well really, well in the sense that we found out who it wasn't. We did manage to find out some pretty useful information too."

Taking a seat on one of the kitchen stools, he slid the plate of food he had made towards her. "You're telling me that you guys actually tricked someone into talking to you guys?"

Nodding, Hermione answered "Technically it was just Harry and Ron. Like I said, the effects didn't really go over very well for me, but I blame myself for that one." She laughed a little when remembering the events of that night. Although she found it less than humorous at the time, she could at least smile about it now. When she noticed Draco hand her the food, she looked up at him. "You know how to cook?"

Giving her one of his handsome grins, he playfully scoffed. "Don't sound so surprised. I never said I couldn't cook, you only assumed that I couldn't. You learn a thing or two when you piss off your father and lose a meal. Can't tell you how many times I snuck out to the kitchen at night to grab something." Draco saw Hermione's smile fade. As he spoke, he reassured her, "Trust me, the times I did lose a meal, it was well worth it."

He noticed her mood was still turning solemn, so he quickly changed the subject back towards her brewing the Polyjuice potion. "So, you're really telling me that those two dimwits actually were able to trick someone into talking to them without that person knowing who they really were? What kind of arse doesn't realize he's not talking to their friends?"

Draco's statement had more of a mood changing effect on the witch than what he'd imagine. Hermione was now trying to hold back her amusement. She had been measuring out the amount of _Lacewing Flies_ she needed when he had spoken and nearly spilled the whole vial onto the counter. "I'm sorry, it's really not that funny," she chuckled. "The who isn't important I promise, but the how is, and luckily I have everything we need here to make a batch. I just need to get these stewing."

He was glad to see her smiling again, but he felt as if she wasn't telling him for a reason. "Are you seriously not going to tell me who Potter and Weasel tricked? Don't tell me it was a Slytherin, we are all way more clever than that."

Hermione's laughter was becoming harder to control. "Like I said, the 'who' really isn't important right now. Besides, we have more important things to talk about. We should start thinking about your plan on how to help your mother escape."

Knowing it was pointless to keep bugging her for the name, he let the questions go for now. Taking the last bite of his food, he set the plate aside. "Well, I've been thinking about how to best approach this, and all I have so far is trying to think of a way to get her when she is alone. The past year or so, it seems once a week she disappears somewhere, but I have no idea where. If only I knew, maybe I could try to catch her when she's out."

Hermione gave him a questioning look. "What are you talking about?"

Draco began running his fingers through his hair as he spoke. "Well, this past year it seems like once a week my mother would leave to go somewhere, but never tell me exactly where she was headed. She always told me if my father asked where she was to tell him she was either out visiting friends or doing some shopping. She's a very convincing liar when she needs to be, to everyone except me though. I've lived with her long enough to know when she is lying and when she is telling me the truth. She'd leave for only 30 minutes to sometimes hours. I've asked before where she really goes, but she always just brushed it off like it was nothing."

Hermione had finished preparations for the potion and it was now brewing away. Taking a seat next to him, she proceeded to finish the surprisingly delicious food he had made for her. "Do you think she could have sent the letter from where ever she goes?"

He took a minute to think over what she had just said. It was possible, but not very likely. "I swear, no one she knows would have a Barn Owl though, no one at least I know about. Everyone in her friends circle wouldn't dare be seen with one. If she did know someone who owed one, I wouldn't have the slightest clue as to who it would be. I think my best beat is figuring out a way into the Manor and sneaking her out that way."

"Figuring out a way that also doesn't include you getting captured, tortured and killed is more accurate. You had mentioned secrete passage ways into and around the house, do you think there'd be anyway to use them and somehow get to your mother when she's alone?"

Placing an elbow on the table, he rested his head on his fist and closed his eyes. "I honestly have no idea, but it's the best I have to go on right now. I think the first thing I want to do is to draw a few things out... the different passages and rooms. For the most part my mother kept her routine the same, but now who knows what's going on in there. Do you have any parchment and ink?"

Hermione grabbed her bag and started looking through it. A moment later, she pulled out both and handed them to Draco. She also grabbed the notes she had made about where Harry and Ron could be. Spreading them out in front of her, she said "I want to check on a few places I've been thinking of where Harry and Ron might be, or maybe think about contacting someone in the Order."

Looking up from the parchment, Draco said "Be careful there Granger. I know at least last year they were already tailing a few people in your group. Now that the Dark Lord has taken over, you can be sure most, if not all of them are also now being followed."

Sighing, she said "Maybe I could use some of this potion once it's done. Do a little scouting on these places or try and get close enough to someone in the Order to be able to talk to them. I guess we better get going on figuring out these plans of ours."

The two of them went well into the night with most of the time being passed in silence as each worked on their own plan. Hermione had wrote down a few more details on how to go about scoping out the locations, but now she was thinking a large part of her plan was going to be based on using the Polyjuice potion once it was finished. She liked the idea of possibly trying to somehow contact one of the Order members, but if what Draco said was true, talking to them without being noticed would be difficult, even if she was in disguise. When the clocked chimed midnight, the whole kitchen island was covered in parchment that contained either drawings, notes or discarded ideas that had been scrapped.

Eventually Hermione pulled out a few of her books to read, hoping to give her mind a break from thinking about her plans that either headed in dead ends or involved risk of being found out. However, her reading only frustrated her more, as they too provided her with more dead ends and more frustration.

Draco had now almost finish the layout of the first floor of the Manor. He was making as many notes as he could remember on where his mother usually spent her time, at least while he was still living there. Every so often he glance up at Hermione and had a feeling he was having more luck at his tasks than she was. He would hear a long, drawn out sigh escape her mouth almost every hour, or feel the counter start to move as she quickly tapped her foot against the floor. When she had pulled the books out of her bag and began reading, the sighs became more of a groan and the tapping had traveled up her legs to the tips of her fingers as they drummed heavily against the books. Several times he was going to ask if she needed any help finding something, but he thought it best to leave that subject alone for the moment and continued his own work.

She had just poured them their third cup of tea as she turned the first page of a new book she had taken out. The sky was still pitch black outside, but she knew by the scattered notes of birds, dawn was slowly approaching. It was becoming increasingly harder to turn the pages of books when she knew it would ultimately end up with giving her no more information than she already had. Taking a sip of her tea, she set the mug back down and was about to flip to page two _of Dark Artifacts of Medieval Times: Vol. 3_ when she paused.

 _Just ask him, you searching and coming up with nothing is a waste of time. You haven't even been able to get through a half of the books in Snape's library and having to translate some is possibly even more of a waste when it leads nowhere. He knows these books, he said he's read them numerous times before. If he doesn't know then he doesn't know... but if he does, it could be the break you need._

Draco had just finished drawing out the tunnel that connected the library with a passage way leading down to their dungeons when the sharp snap of Hermione's book shutting startled him. Looking up at the pensive witch, he asked "Everything alright?"

As she took a deep breath, she calmly and quietly said "Draco, what do you know about horcruxes?"

Hermione carefully watched for his reaction. She was looking for confusion, recognition, shock, anything that may or may not imply that he knew what she was talking about. She felt as if she was waiting for his next words before allowing herself to take another breath. There was a silence that had now fallen between them and she couldn't tell whether if it was from Draco trying to find an answer to her question, or from having the answer and not understanding why she had asked.

But as she looked into the silvery pools of his eyes, she was met with the same analyzing stare. It was becoming more and more obvious to her that the silence wasn't because of his lack of information, but because he was trying to figure out why she had ask about such an object.

Slightly furrowing his brow, Draco said " _Why_ in Salazar's name would you want to know about something like that?"

Hermione's heart leapt. _He does know._

"Are you saying one of these books talks about them? Which one, or are there multiple books? What exactly do you know?" She was starting to get ahead of herself when she noticed the concerned look on his face.

"Granger, I have to know. Why are you looking for information on horcruxes?" Never in a million years would Draco have thought this is what she had been looking for. His mind was racing, trying to figure out why the hell this was the topic of her research, and no matter how hard he tried he couldn't come up with a logical answer.

She was itching for the title of the book that hopefully had the answers to her questions, but she knew to obtain it, she'd have to do a little explaining. _But where to start?_

Trying to calm herself down from her excited state, she very carefully thought about what, and how, she would proceed. "I guess I should fill you in a little more. I won't go over all the details right now, but I promise I'll tell you enough so you can understand. The reason I am looking for information on horcruxes is because You-Know-Who has used this method to try and achieve some kind of immortality. A few months ago, Professor Dumbledore and Harry were able to confirm this. According to Professor Dumbledore, You-Know-Who has created seven horcruxes and so far, two of them have not only been identified, but destroyed. We do know of one other horcrux, but unfortunately it hasn't been destroyed yet."

Taking a long breath, she held the eye contact with Draco. "Harry, Ron and I had decided that once we got back to the Burrow, we would make a plan and leave to go find it, as well as the others, and destroy the rest of them as well. That's why my bag has pretty much anything you could think of in it. Clothes, books, potions, even a tent. We didn't know how long we'd be gone for. But once we are able to find and destroy them all, the hope is that You-Know-Who won't be able to come back and we can finally defeat him once and for all. Problem is, we have no idea what he used as a vessel for the rest or even how to destroy them once we have them. This is why I've been trying to find anything I can, in hopes when I finally do find Harry and Ron, I would have something, anything on horcruxes and how we can destroy them once we are able to track them down."

Draco was having a hard time keeping up with what she was saying. His head was becoming hazy and the room was starting to spin. _Seven? Bloody, fucking hell this doesn't make sense._

Hermione could see he was struggling to wrap his mind around all this information, but she continued talking. "So you see, if you know anything about them or what books you have read that talks about horcruxes, it could really help us. Also, if you have possibly heard anything, anything at all about what they could be while you were living at home maybe that could help us. I mean, you did have at least one horcrux at home for awhile before you father-"

"What?" Draco's pupils almost doubled in size as his temper began to boil.

Confused herself now, Hermione said "I thought you knew about the diary. Back in second year, your father slipped it to Ginny in hopes of reopening the Chamber of Secrets. The diary turned out to be a horcrux. I assumed you knew all this. Harry told us that You-Know-Who was pretty upset at your father when he found out..."

"What in Merlin's name are you talking about Granger-" but suddenly he stopped. His head was overflowing with confusion and there was no way of cleaning up the mess in his mind. Suddenly though, something clicked into place.

It had been almost two years now, but Draco remembered that night as if it had happened yesterday. He had been reading in the library when he heard his mother's footsteps rushing down the marble covered corridor. Upon entering, the look in her eyes had said it all before she even spoke to him.

"Draco, I must ask that you go up to your room, quickly." Narcissa was out of breath as she made her way over to her son.

Setting down his book, he stood from the chair. "What do you mean, what's going on?"

Before his mother could answer, Draco heard a loud _bang_ that nearly shook the whole Manor. Looking at his mother, her usual regal charm had vanished and it had been replaced with fear. He was about to run out of the room to find the source of the explosion when his mother grabbed his arm.

"No, please just do as I say and go to your room and don't come out until I come and get you. Can you please do that for me?" With haste dripping from every word, she looked at her son for conformation.

"Tell me what's going on, why are you telling me to go-"

"Just do it Draco, now. I don't have time to explain it to you. I promise you nothing will happen to me." Her tone was becoming more forceful now.

As his mother began pushing him out into the hallway, he tried to hear what was going on one floor below them. He could hear yelling, a lot of yelling. Another crash told him that someone, somewhere was casting jinxes right and left. Standing in front of the staircase now, his mother gave him a small push up them.

Night had already fallen and the halls were lit by low, burning candles. The wind outside had been howling for hours trying to find a way in. Each of the glass windows rattling in its frame and although they were creating an almost ominous sound, Draco was still able to make out the _bangs_ and _cracks_ that were radiating up from downstairs.

Still trying to listen for a clue as to what was going on, it didn't take Draco long to at least realize who was now occupying his home. Almost tripping as his foot caught the edge of the step from the shove from his mother, he hissed "What the hell is he doing here?"

"Now is not the time Draco. Go to your room immediately. I'll come get you when it's over." Before her son could respond, she quickly turned and headed back down the stairs.

Draco stood at the bottom of the steps, unsure of exactly what to do. As he watched his mother leave, he could have sworn he heard her say "I told him not to get rid of that diary." Thinking he heard her wrong, he had blown off what she had said, until now.

He never went to his room that night. Instead he stood in the same spot his mother had left him in, listening to the tortured screams of his father for what felt like hours. It was the only time Draco almost felt sorry for his father. Almost.

Hermione sat in silence as she watch Draco's mind drift. She could tell he was deep in thought and was desperately wishing she could hear what was going on inside his head. After five minutes of silence had passed, she decided to speak.

"Draco, I'm really sorry if you didn't know that. I just figured since your father was the one who gave it to Ginny, you would have at least heard about it. Is there any way you could tell me the name of the book now though?"

It took him a moment to realize that Hermione was speaking to him. Slowly, his vision came back in to focus and he was meet with her concerned, amber eyes looking at him from across the table. In an almost defeated voice, he quietly said "Can you open your bag for me?"

As her heart leapt into her throat, she reached across the table and loosed the drawstring tie. Watching as he slowly raised his wand, a black, leather bound book came from within her beaded bag and landed next to him. With bated breath, she waited as he picked it up and offer it to her. Slowly, she grabbed the book from his outstretched hands and felt the worn fibers of leather underneath her finger tips. Looking down at the cover, the small, barely visible red ink showed the title of the book to be _Secrets of the Dark Arts._

"I'll warn you now Granger," Draco said with hesitation. "I've only even read through this book once, and once was more than what I should have. There's some pretty dark topics in there, some of which I wish I'd never even read about. However, somewhere in there I remember reading about horcruxes. I hope it gives you everything you're looking for."

Pulling her eyes away from the book, she looked up at Draco. "Thank you, this could help us so much... Are you alright?"

Draco clenched his jaw for a moment before answering. "Yeah, I'll be fine. Just going to do a little bit more of the map I think. You want anymore tea?"

She knew he was trying to change the subject and he was probably far from alright. But she had just told him a lot of information, and apparently more than she had intended when telling him he had a horcrux in his house at one point. However it was clear to her he was in no mood to keep talking about the subject, at least not at the moment. Giving him a small smile, she shook her head. "No thank you, I still have some."

Looking back down at the book in front of her, she let her fingers run over the cover a few times before she opened it to the first page. The ink had begun to fade long ago and the parchment had turned frail with time. Although excitement was building inside of her, she could only imagine what dark magic the book held.

* * *

Hermione had flipped through the pages until she found the passage on horcruxes. She had now read it a dozen times, taking more and more notes with each read. The pitch black night had now been replaced with monotone shades of grey. An early morning fog had settles itself over the lake and she was able to just barely see the top of the willow tree from her seat. A pair of Sparrows sat nested in the branches, trying to shield themselves from the chilly winds that had accompanied the gloomy sky.

There had been nothing but silence between the two for a few hours now. She notice that Draco gave up his planning almost thirty minutes ago and was now deep in thought again. Stretching her arms up high, the chilly morning air began to wrap itself around her skin, sending goose bumps up along her spine. As she shook them off, the sound of Draco's voice breaking the quite startled her.

"I think I'm going to go try and lay down for a little. You want to try and get some sleep too?" His eyes were heavy along with his thoughts. If he spent another second thinking about his plan, horcruxes or the new information about his father's further involvement with what happened second year, he was sure his brain would implode on itself.

Nodding her head, Hermione answered "Yeah, that sounds good. Just let me finish up a few things and I'll be right up."

He stood from his chair and headed towards the stairs, giving her arm a small squeeze as he past her. Before he left the room though, he said "I've been thinking, next time we make a trip for food we should try to pick up a few hairs from people in town. That way if and when we do use the potion, we will be ready."

A little surprised he had thought about the idea, she agreed. "That's a great idea. We'll definitely have to be careful, but we need to have something to add to the potion when it's done brewing."

Draco continued to head out of the room when he paused again. "Are you really never going to tell me who Potter and Weasel actually tricked? I mean, I did lead you to the book you were looking for. I think that earns me some points right?" He gave her a smirk as he waited for her to answer.

Chewing the inside of her cheeks, Hermione couldn't help but think he did have a point. He'd given her the help she needed, and she also couldn't help but wonder what his reaction would be when he found out. Thinking about how exactly she should tell him, she simply said "They turned into Crabbe and Goyle."

Holding her laughter in as best she could, she watched as Draco's grin turned to disbelief.

Gritting his teeth, Draco spoke softly under his breath. "I'm going to kill them."

* * *

As July's unseasonably rainy weather continued into early August, Hermione and Draco spent most of their time inside. Although the rain held off the sun, it did nothing to help fend off the summer heat. During the day, the two of them spent most of their time either helping each other plan, or trying to think of how one could destroy the horcruxes once they were found.

From what Hermione had read, the vessel which held the piece of one's soul had to be destroyed beyond both magical and physical repair. The text also advised the creator to place protective enchantments on their vessel as well in case they were ever found. She dreaded thinking about what spells Voldemort could have placed on the remaining horcruxes.

She had tried to read the rest of the book, but Draco had been right to warn her on how terrible it really was. They were truly evil passages, ranging from instructions on how to torture someone to make them live their worst nightmare, enchantments that require a sacrifice before completion and curses that broke bones one by one. There had even been a recipe for a poison that liquefied a person's insides very slow and very painfully. Having only been able to read about half of the book so far, she was satisfied that she at least had been able to finally find information of horcruxes.

Draco had been trying to think of anything he may have heard at home that could help give Hermione a clue as to what Voldemort used to hide a piece of himself in, but so far he'd come up with nothing.

Hermione had filled him in on the one horcrux they did know about, but thought it best to leave out how Harry and Dumbledore found out that the locket they had retrieved was fake. That night was hard enough on both of them to relieve, and it didn't seem necessary at the time for him to know.

Halfway into August, Hermione woke one morning and found herself wrapped in Draco's arms. She was becoming accustomed to waking like this. Being held in his strength, enjoying how safe she felt here. Their time together had allowed them to grow close. She trusted him and knew she was able to count on his help when she needed it.

He had even kept his promise on helping her try to overcome her fear of small, dark places. Draco came up with the idea of keeping all their food items down in the cellar, so every time they needed to prepare a meal they'd have to go down there. The first few times didn't go as well as she would have liked. She hadn't even been able to make it to the first step without having a panic attack, but he had been patient with her and was becoming better at calming her down. He would eventually get what they needed to make their meals, but he always gave her the opportunity to at least try, even if it meant just making it one more step.

Not wanting to wake from her half dream state, she laid there just a moment longer. Feeling his warm breath on her forehead, she brought her fingers to her chest and began dragging them lightly across his soft skin. Tracing his slightly raised scar that extended from his collar bone to the opposite rib cage, she couldn't help but wonder if she knew what it was from. Looking up to see his eyes still soundly shut, Hermione was pleased to see he actually looked peaceful for once. His nightmares had grown fewer and far between, but the ones he did have would keep him up for days. Lately for her, she was also having fewer nightmares about her parents, but she was growing more and more anxious with every passing day. The Polyjuice potion was nearly able to be completed and once it was done, she would be able to take her plans to the next step.

As Draco began to stir, he didn't even need to open his eyes to know Hermione was staring up at him. "You know, some find it creepy when someone watches them sleep."

Watching his grey eyes open, she playfully scoffed. "Oh please, do you know how many times I've caught you staring at me, even when I'm not asleep?"

"Fair point" he said as he leaned forwards to kiss her forehead. "Did you sleep alright?"

Lightly sighing, she said "For the most part. How about you?"

Draco shrugged. This had been the first night in a few days that he allowed himself to try and sleep. Although he hadn't had any dreams, something wasn't sitting right with him. "Fine" he stated simply. "I just realized, your Lacewing Flies should be done today right?"

Sitting up on the bed, excitement filled her words. "Yeah they are. Once I've finished brewing it, all that's left is to go to town to collect a few hairs. We've been rationing our food pretty well, I'm thinking another trip to town in probably another week or two. After that, I think our plan is pretty solid. With you knowing a good amount of Death Eaters and who to look out for, I'll be able to do a little scouting to see if Grimmauld Place is even an option to check out."

He picked up his shirt from the floor and began to dress. He was still a little wary of the idea, but from everything she had explained to him about where she thought Harry and Ron might be, he knew it was the first logical choice to check. As he stood from the bed, his balance was a little off and ran into the side table.

Gritting his teeth, he cursed under his breath. "Damn thing." Noticing a small, red box that had fallen to the floor, he picked it up. As he set it back on the table, he said "Sorry this fell, is it ok here?" Looking over to Hermione, he noticed her hesitate before speaking.

In a soft voice, she said "Yeah, it's no problem. Just set it on top there"

Confused by her domineer, Draco asked "What is it?"

She paused before replying. "It's my mother's. For my sixteenth birth she gave me her necklace. Well, actually it was her mother's before that, it's been passed down for generations." Walking around her bed to the side table, she gently picked up the box and opened it.

"I usually always wear it, but since that night it's been a little hard looking at it." As the top opened, she gazed down at the emerald pendant that was lined with small, diamond stones.

"My mother always told me the stone symbolizes love and protection, and that no matter how far apart we were as long as I wore it she would be with me." Looking up to meet Draco's eyes, she was meet with a look of sympathy. Giving him an unconvincing smile, she said "It's silly. I know some silly rock can't do any of that. Anyways, let's get down stairs and make some food. At the rate I'm making with my progress going down stairs we'll be eating lunch instead of breakfast."

As he watched her close the lid of the box and set it on the bed, he thought it best not to talk about her parents if she didn't want to. "You said you wore this all the time. I feel like I would have seen you wearing Slytherin colors. There's no way I would have passed an opportunity to point that out at school."

Chuckling under her breath, she said "Precisely why I hid it under my robes all the time. I didn't need people thinking I was supporting the wrong house."

Following behind her to head downstairs, he smiled as he imagined what the necklace look liked on her. _Green really does suite her._

* * *

As August drew to a close, Hermione was more than ready to use the finished Polyjuice potion. They were planning on making a trip to the market in a few days and she was itching to go. She had been without contact from any of her friends for too long now and she was ready to put her plan into action. She could tell Draco was becoming more anxious about his planning process as well.

He had finished mapping his house long ago and had written out as many notes as he could about his mother's routine. He had memorized each and every detail and the only thing that was holding him back now was deciding how to exactly go about entering his home. He knew to get passed the barriers of the Manor, you either had to have the Dark Mark, be accompanied by someone who has it or have special permission to pass through them. Once inside the protective enchantments, it was a bit of a walk up to the main house with traps and lookouts surrounding it. Knowing he couldn't apparate right up to the front doors, he would have to make his way to one of the few hidden entrances he knew about leading into the house.

The two were seated on the couch facing one another, each with a book in hand. Hermione was reading her copy of _The Tales_ while Draco was trying to rest his mind by reading another book Hermione had given him earlier that week, _A Study In Scarlet_.

Gliding her fingers over a small, inscribed symbol, she handed her book over to Draco. "Does this look like it was drawn in to you?"

Taking the book from her hands, he looked down at to what she was pointing at. "Sorry, but I only know a small amount of Ancient Runes Granger, that's a little out of my league. You'll have to tell me what it means."

She shook her head. "Remind me later to mock you for admitting to me I'm better at Runes than you, but this actually isn't Runes. I've looked in every syllabary too and nothing. I'm not exactly sure what it is, but does it look like someone wrote it in?"

"It does look like it wasn't originally part of the book. I guess someone could have drawn it in." He handed the book back to her.

Wondering who and why someone would have done that, she let out a deep sigh. "It's strange to think school will be starting in a few days doesn't it?"

Draco shrugged. "I guess so. I'm glad I won't be going back, my last year wasn't the most pleasant of experiences to say the least."

Hermione set the book back down on the table. As she thought about school, an idea popped into her head. "Tomorrow is Saturday, the Saturday before everyone goes back to school.."

Raising an eyebrow, he wanted for her to finished her train of thought.

"You know what that means right? People will be shopping for school, buying last minutes books and supplies.. people meaning someone I may know who could give me some type of information, or hell just someone to even talk to and see if they know anything.."

Draco cut her off before she could go any further. "Are you seriously suggesting what I think you are?"

The excitement in her eyes answered his question for themselves.

"Are you losing your mind Granger? There's no way we could do what you're thinking-"

"We could use Polyjuice potion, no one would know who we are."

Closing his book, he set it aside. "We don't even have anyone's hair we could change into. We have no plan, we would be going on a whim which sounds pretty crazy to me."

Hermione bit her lip. "Actually, we sort of do have someone we could be.."

It didn't take long for Draco to figure out what Hermione was thinking. "Granger... no. I know where you're going with this and you can't do that to yourself." He sat up to fully meet her eyes. "You're thinking about using your parents hair, aren't you?"

She allowed the silence to fill the space between them. It was exactly what she was thinking and she was a little impressed he could read her so well. "Really, I'd be alright and there's no way anyone would know who I was. No one has ever really seen my parents, and it may be the best chance of us finding someone to talk to."

"I don't think this is a good idea, not at all. We have a plan, a plan we have carefully thought about. Aren't you the one who is all about having a plan anyway?"

It was true, she was always the one who insisted on a plan. This time was different though. It was a possible chance to be able to talk to someone from the Order or anyone who could give her any information. Even though she thrived on organization, forethought and planning, the past few years she could swear she felt her mother's adventurous, yet sometimes hasty spirit coming out in her. That, or the boys had been rubbing off on her more than she knew. Either way, she knew Draco had a point, but she still thought it may be a good chance to finally be able to get a hold of someone.

Placing a reassuring hand on her arm, Draco said "I know you want to find your friends. I promised you I'd help you, but I don't think using your parent's hair for the potion is such a good idea. We will go to the market soon and then I promise we will start searching for them alright?"

Simply nodding her head, she tried to smile back at him. "I know, I really do appreciate everything you've don't for me. Sorry I interrupted your reading, I hope you're enjoying it so far."

"Don't mention it Granger. I am intrigued to know how this story ends, I always love a good mystery. It's proving to be a nice distraction when I need a break." Sitting back into the sofa, he grabbed his book and began to read again. As the night wore on, he continued reading until he was reading the same line over and over, finally allowing his tired lids to fall.

* * *

The next morning, Draco woke up with a strange feeling. He hadn't even sat up off the couch and he knew something was wrong. The house felt almost empty and the chill of the morning air stung at his skin.

He was about to head upstairs to look for Hermione when he saw it. The little, red box he had knocked over sat open on the kitchen island. Every step towards it felt like he was carrying a boulder on his chest. When he got close enough, he saw it had been left open with the necklace gone from inside. Instead where it had once laid was a note with the familiar, neat hand writing belonging to Hermione. His heart sank as he read the few lines of script.

 _I'm sorry, I hope you can forgive me. I promise you, I'll be back soon._

Taking the note in his palm, he read it again and again before accepting what it had said. _Granger._

* * *

Note: After many long nights this week, I'm so glad I am able to post this tonight. I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter. It was a little on the longer side, but I really wanted to get it to this point for the next chapter.

Less than a month of school left, and then it's summer vacation! It can't come soon enough. Another two weeks for the next chapter. I love reading everyone's comments so far! :) I'm really looking forward to the next few chapters, I have some interesting things planned ^_^

- _Toujours._


	16. Chapter 16: Diagon Alley

**Wounded**

Chapter 16: Diagon Alley

Hermione had fallen asleep sometime late into the night. When she awoke, she noticed her book had fallen to the floor with her notes toppling along with it. Taking a moment to allow her eyes to adjust to the early morning sun, they finally fell upon the sleeping blonde wizard sitting in front of her. He had drifted off before she had that night. She watched him fight the inevitable for almost an hour before his tired eyes finally gave in. It wasn't long after that did she too succumb to temptation and joined him in the dream world they both feared. Lucky for her though, she hadn't had any nightmares, or at least any she could actually remember.

As she laid under the tattered blue blanket that they were sharing, the warmth of their trapped heat was almost begging her not to stir. Their legs were intertwined with one another and she could feel the soft touch of his hand resting on top of her thigh. Allowing herself a few more blissful moments, she thought about how odd it felt that school would be starting in only a few days and how she wouldn't be returning this time to complete her last year at Hogwarts. Thinking about school starting however made her realize something;

 _Bollocks. When I wrote to Sarah as mum I did tell her they'd only be gone till the end of summer. She will expect them back any day now which means I have to think of some reason why they won't be back yet._

Racking her brain for an idea, one in particular stood out in her mind.

 _If I just use a little of the Polyjuice potion, I could change into mum and actually call Sarah myself, tell her they have decided to stay away even longer. Writing a letter won't do, not this time. Sarah will want to actually talk to them, especially since they have been gone for a few months now. I don't need people asking questions or going to look for them. As long as I tell Sarah, I know word of my parents staying away will make the rounds amongst their friends._

Hermione grinned _. I love her, but I will say she is one of the biggest gossips I know._

Having known Sarah for over half her life now, Hermione thought of her almost like an older sister. Sarah had just graduated from college when she began working for Hermione's parents. Since then, she had worked closely with them, learning the business inside and out and has now almost completely taken over the managing side of the practice. When she started attending the Granger family parties more and more, she seemed to have no trouble fitting in and becoming a member of the family.

Although Hermione knew Sarah loved to gossip like a school girl when they were together, she always knew at least her secrets would be kept safe. Sarah became one of the few people she would turn to if she needed any advice. From choosing the proper outfit for one of her parents dinner parties, to trying to figure out why boys could be such a pain sometimes, no matter what the dilemma was Sarah was always there for her.

 _If anyone can run the business, it's her. At least I know it will be in good hands._

In her still semi-sleepy state, she hadn't fully thought of what it would mean to change into her mother, but with the plan in mind and knowing something had to be done soon, Hermione slowly started to unwind herself from the still slumbering Draco. Shifting her weight off of the couch, she hesitated for a moment when she saw him begin to stir. However, his eyes stayed closed as he rolled over on his side and remained unaware of what she was now planning.

Breathing a sigh of relief, she quietly grabbed her beaded bag and wand and started to make her way to the stairs. Once she made it to the top of the landing, she was about to turn right towards her bedroom when she stopped. Instead, she went straight down the hallway and pushed the door to her parent's bedroom open. If she was about to become her mother, she'd need one of her hairs and something for her to wear while she was transformed.

It had been almost a month now since she'd visited her parent's room. The last time she decided to enter it, she had stumbled upon where her mother had kept every birthday, Christmas and Mother's Day card Hermione had ever written her. Having read them all over a dozen times that night, she held back the tears just long enough for her to be able to hide them away again. She had hoped that being around their belongings would make reality a little easier for her, but the truth was that the memories made reality a little too real still. Telling herself no more late night strolls down memory lane, she left her parent's room intending to keep that door shut for the time being. However this was different. This was a necessary part to her plan and she had to contact Sarah soon.

As she slowly opened the bedroom door, even though she knew the smell of her mother's rose perfume had long since vanished, she could swear she still felt the earthy, floral scent hit her nose every time she entered. A small smile spread across her face as she made her way into the room and closed the door behind her. She set her bag and wand on the bed and took out one of the vials that she had filled with Polyjuice potion.

"I doubt I will need all of this to change, I better only take what I need." Searching through her purse, she found an empty glass and slowly poured a portion of the thick potion in to it. When she finally only had the amount she desired, she corked what she didn't need and placed it back in her bag.

Turning from the bed, she headed to her mother's closet to find something to wear. Looking through her clothes, she found one of her mother's favorite summer outfits. It was a plum colored, a-line skirt that just barely skimmed the floor when she walked. She'd always pair it with a cream color top and matching belt. Hermione swore if her mother could wear one outfit for the whole summer, this would have been the one she would have picked.

Picking up the light, cotton fabric, she said "Father always did say he liked you in purple, said it brought out the green in your eyes."

Feeling another smile twitch at the corners of her lips, she took the skirt and top with her as she made her way into the master ensuite to look for her mother's hairbrush. Pulling open one of the vanity draws, she found what she was looking for and plucked out a single strand of dark, brown hair she knew to be her mother's. Setting down the clothes, she raised the vial full of potion out in front of her and hesitated for just a moment before dropping the last needed ingredient in.

Hermione watched as the contents of the vial slowly began to bubble. A few moments later, the potion had turned a deep, sapphire blue that slightly shimmered in the light. It wasn't until she had brought the vibrant liquid up to her lips did she realize what drinking the potion actually meant.

 _I didn't think I'd ever see my mother again. To see her smile, hear her voice… I know technically it won't really be her, but it will be the closest thing I'll ever have to real again._

Taking a long breath, she held it in for a moment before releasing it. "It'll be alright. Just prepare yourself, you have to take care of anyone poking around or finding out their missing."

With another slight hesitation, she quickly shook it off and lifted the glass vial to her parted lips. Feeling the cool, almost refreshing contents hit the back of her throat, it continued to make its way down. It felt like she had just taken a breath of fresh, morning air when she suddenly began to feel her body start to transform. Although she had been through this process once before, the second time wasn't any easier. She could feel her insides start to twist and turn as if they were now fighting for space. A hot, sharp pain radiated up her spine as her skin started to stretch and thin itself out over her elongating arms and legs. A harsh hissing sound left her gritted teeth and when she thought she might just be sick from the pain, it finally stopped.

Taking a few heavy gulps of air and allowing herself to catch her breath, she slowly picked her head up to look in the mirror. She blinked a few times before she truly grasped what she was seeing. Looking back at her was her mother's bright, round green eyes. Her flowing dark, chestnut hair seemed never ending as it tumbled around her shoulders. She knew at that moment, no amount of forethought could have prepared her for this.

Hermione was suddenly starting to regret her idea. Lifting a hand to her hair, the moment she felt the soft waves glide through her fingers she felt her heart begin to race. Hot, burning tears were fighting to get out, but she held them back for as long as she could. _It's really her, I actually became my mother... What the bloody hell was I thinking?_

She placed her hands on the cool, marble counters to help brace herself. Her chest was tightening and she was sure she might even pass out from hyperventilating when her previous comment made her think.

Whispering, she repeated "I actually became my mother… it finally happened."

Her mother had always been known for her adventurous spirit. Although she loved reading and academics as well, she would never turn down an opportunity to do anything that sounded 'completely dangerous' according to her father. She was strong and carefree, loving life as it came and seeking out adventure when it didn't. Hermione always admired these qualities in her. She was the strongest women Hermione knew and as a child always hoped one day she would find her inner strength just like her mother had.

Over the past few years however, although her parents weren't fully aware of everything that had happened to her over the years at school, she knew she had finally found it. She had felt herself become more daring, more courageous and above all, more aware of just how confident and strong she really was.

Hermione began to feel the weight lifting off her chest and she was finally able to breathe again. She even laughed a little. _I think I'm officially at your level mum for doing dangerous, spontaneous things. And if that means I am becoming more like you, then I couldn't be happier._

Allowing herself to look back at her reflection, the last of her tears rolled off her check and landed on the back of her hand. Wiping their trail off her skin, she regained her composure and changed out of her now too tight clothes and into the outfit she had found.

As she left the bathroom, she made her way to the small seating area in the corner of the room. Here, a phone sat on a small coffee table with two single plush ottomans surrounding it. Knowing she had to call Sarah quickly before the potion wore off, she sat herself down and took the phone receiver in hand. Making sure to block the cabin's number from showing up, she dialed the ingrained phone number and took one last calming breath. After only two rings on the other side, the familiar voice rang in her ear.

"Hello?" Sarah's voice sounded warm and vibrant, almost comforting for Hermione to hear.

Clearing her throat, Hermione spoke. "Hello Sarah, it's me Erin."

"Bloody hell, I was hoping to be hearing from you soon! How are you and Thomas doing, having an amazing trip I hope."

Hermione was trying her best to sound positive and enthusiastic. Her parents were suppose to be on an Italian adventure and she had to play the part of a well relaxed and rested traveler.

"Oh it's been wonderful, exactly what we both needed. Thomas had been promising me for ages we'd go on a second honeymoon, and with Hermione at school for the summer we couldn't think of a better time to go." Wanting to turn the conversation on to the business and off of the tip, she asked "How has everything been going at the office, no problems I hope."

Hearing her slightly chuckle, Sarah said, "Everything has been smooth sailing over here, just the usually drama between Richard and Kendra, but nothing out of the ordinary there. Just wait until you hear about this new guy Jess is dating though, sounds like a real winner."

Hermione laughed. _Not five minutes in and she's already dishing all the dirt she has, she will definitely make sure their friends know where they are._ "Knowing Jess, I'm sure she will eventually figure it all out. The main reason I'm calling though is to actually discuss with you our plans moving forward now that the summer is ending."

"Oh," Sarah said. "Don't tell me you're staying another week like you did in France. Last time you did that it was because you wanted to bungee jump from the Ponsonnas Bridge and ended up breaking your finger."

Remembering their trip to France a few summers ago, Hermione could never forget that extra week there. They had been all set to return home, but once her mother found out about the bridge, she insisted on making a stop. Once there, Hermione and her father took a pass on the jump, but her mother was always willing to take that leap of faith.

"It wasn't my finger, it was my ankle and it was only a sprain. And it happened because after the jump, I was so excited that I had actually went through with it I got caught in the ropes when they were packing them up and tripped over myself. I'm not the most graceful person you know."

"I can attest to that" Sarah agreed. "Well, what is it this time? Jumping on a train headed for Rome to go parasailing off the Colosseum or something insane like that."

"No, no nothing like that" Hermione chuckled. "However," she paused, "Thomas and I have decided to do something we have always wanted to do, been planning to do actually. You run the business so well Sarah and with the additional partners we added, we think now is the time to fulfill another dream of ours." She took another breath to help steady her words. "You know we've always talked about buying a house in Australia, either as a summer home or to possible move to permanently. Well, this is Hermione's last year of school and after that, she will be moving out, starting her own life. Thomas and I agree that the time to start looking for that second home, is now."

After a moment of silence, Sarah finally said "You're going to Australia? I guess I shouldn't be too surprised, that's actually a little tame from your usually detours."

"We actually have our tickets to fly out in a few days from here. I was hoping to talk to you and see how you felt about possibly continuing running the company for awhile longer. I know it's a lot of work but-"

"Are you kidding me, of course I will. You know me Erin, you both have done so much for me over the years. It's the least I can do, and besides I like occupying the corner office when I work. Of course, ever since you two put that new fish tank in there, it's hard to get anything done."

Hermione smiled. She hadn't known about the tank and knew it must have just been just recently put in. _For years you two have always said you'd bite the bullet some day and get one. I'm glad you finally did._ "Thank you, really this helps us so much. Now, if you have a moment let's just go over a few things."

* * *

Hermione's parents had always kept her in the loop when it came to their business. They had once hoped to pass it along to her someday after she became a dentist, but after Hermione told them after school was over, she planned on looking at internships or a job at the Ministry, they handed even more of the responsibility over to Sarah. However, they still kept her informed and up to speed just so she knew in case anything ever did happen.

Knowing she only had a small window of time before the potion wore off, Hermione just went over a few basics with Sarah about the business and how "once we get to Australia, it may be a little hard to get a hold of us. We will try to write as often as possible and check in when we can."

After a few more minutes of business talk, she knew she had to start saying goodbye. Even though she was pretending to be her mother and not herself, just talking and listening to Sarah helped ease some of her stress away. Something about the way she was had just always reassured her.

"I'm sorry to have to cut our talk short, but we do have a few more things to take care of before we go. Thank you again, for everything. I speak for both Thomas and myself when I say this business couldn't run without you."

"Please, you're making me blush over here! Send lots of postcards, we all will be excited to hear how the house hunt is going. Also, make sure to tell Hermione 'Hello' from me next time you talk to her. I know how proud you two are of her, I can't believe she will be graduating this year."

Hermione faltered for a moment before answering. "I know, we can't believe it either. I will make sure to tell her you said 'Hello'. Enjoy the rest of your summer and take care."

Hearing Sarah's goodbye, she hung up the phone and leaned back in the chair. "How the hell will I explain what really happened when the time comes?"

 _If,_ she thought, _if the time comes._

She shook her head. "No. That will not be the last time I talk to her. I can't think like that. At least it's over and taken care of. I have other things to worry about now. I need to talk to Draco about when we can start scouting the places to look for Harry and Ron. Clearly the potion was made correctly, I just need to pick up some hairs from town now and then.. we.. can.."

Catching her reflection in the mirror she stopped mid sentence. "Don't be ridiculous" she told herself. "Going would be too risky, you don't even know if anyone you can talk to will be there." But as Hermione began to think more and more about her impulsive plan, the more she thought a little bit of risk could come with a big reward, and with everything going on in the world, a little risk was now a normal part of daily life.

 _I'm already transformed, I can drink some more to make sure I stay this way for at least a few hours. No one will know who I am, and if I keep my head down who knows what information I may find._

She stood from the chair and quickly went to grab her bag. Making her way out of her parents room, she quietly shut the door and made her way to her room to grab a few things before leaving. As she gathered her traveling cloak to wear around her, she was about to make her way down stairs when she noticed the tiny red box sitting on her night stand. Walking over to it, she lifted its lid and pulled out the necklace that had once given her a sense of protection.

Flipping the emerald stone a few times in her hand, she said "Even though I'm one for facts and logic, I will admit I always thought you helped keep me safe. Prove to me that I wasn't wrong."

She placed the necklace around her neck and securely clasped it, tucking it under her cloak. Taking the box with her, she went to her desk and grabbed some paper. _I know you're not going to be very happy with me Draco, but I have to do this. I need to at least try and find someone to talk to. Any information I can find may bring me one step closer to finding Harry and Ron. I hope you can at least understand why I'm doing what I'm doing._

Writing her note on the paper, she placed it in the box, checked to make sure the vial of freshly made Polyjuice potion with another one of her mother's hair was in it and made her way out of her room. Almost tip toeing down the stairs and along the hallway to the kitchen, she rounded the corner and was relieved to see Draco was still fast asleep. She placed the box on the counter where she knew he'd see it when he woke and opened it, reveling the note she had just written to him.

Hermione was about to head out the front door when she paused and turned one more time to look at the blonde wizard. _I will come back, everything's going to be alright._

She wasn't sure if she was thinking it to reassure herself, or in hope that when he did wake, he would know somehow what she was promising to him. Admitting to herself it probably was a little of both, she clutched her cloak closed and made her way out the door.

* * *

Still holding onto Hermione's note, Draco's mind was running a mile a minute. His legs were telling him to chase after her, but his mind kept him frozen where he stood. Knowing that every minute that past by was another minute he was wasting, he said "That's it." His voice was parched as he spoke. "I'm going after her. I'm sure she's gone to Diagon Alley." He set the note down and went to retrieve his wand.

As he walked over to the coffee table, he could feel his heart leap in his throat. _What the hell was she thinking? She should have woken me up to go with her, it's always better to have back up. Who the fuck knows what could happen when she's out there, who could recognize her..._

Suddenly it hit him. "Shit. No, she knows better than to go out in public as herself. She must have used the Polyjuice potion and the only person she could turn into is her mother." He rubbed his worried face, pushing back his disheveled blonde hair. "How could you do that to yourself Granger?"

As he reached for his wand, he noticed his hand was trembling. He was worried about her, but he knew better than most that she could take care of herself. She was incredibly smart, and from everything he had heard and witnessed for himself, he knew just how clever and strong she could be.

 _The problem is sometimes you sodding Gryffindors land yourself in more trouble than you intended. Although I doubt Potter and Weasel are of little help, at least she isn't alone when they are there... I should be there with her, watching out for her... damn it._

Instead of picking up his wand, his temper started to get the best for him and he reached for his empty tea mug instead. Hurling it across the room, it hit the wall and shattered into a hundred pieces. His chest was heavy as he watched the shards fall to the floor. Closing his eyes, he tried to steady his breathing. _You should have heard her leave, noticed she had woken up._

Slowly opening his eyes back up, he finally picked up his wand and muttered " _Reparo_ ". He watched the ceramic mug repair itself as he turned to leave the room and head to the front door. As he stepped outside, the late morning chill hit his skin and sent a shiver down his spine. The bright blue sky along with the sun's eagerness to shine was almost annoyingly too cheerful for him.

Walking down the driveway, his mind had been made up about going to look for her, but as he took one step after the other down the paved road, his ability to come up with a plan that allowed him to do so without being seen was quickly dwindling. He was almost past the point of Hermione's protection charms when he slowed his pace.

"She has the entire batch of Polyjuice potion with her. I wouldn't even be able to transform myself, even if I was able to find someone's hair." He was starting to feel useless. Rationalizing to himself about his actual inability to help her was making his stomach turn. "At least she doesn't look like herself. I on the other hand don't have a chance of not being noticed. I'm sure that place is crawling with lookouts and Death Eaters, not just looking for me, but the Golden Trio as well." He took a long sigh as he admitted to himself, "I could cause more problems by going."

Frustrated at the situation, he ran both hands through his hair, pulling as he went. He had finally reached the very end of the enchantments, but remained just on the edge of their hidden world. His legs were still trying to move him forward, but unfortunately the more he thought about it, the more he realized he would help her more by staying here.

Although it pained him, he slowly turned around and started heading back to the house. Gritting his teeth, he whispered to himself "Just.. come back to me Granger."

* * *

Hermione had apparated on to the corner of Hathshire Lane and Charing Cross Road, appearing in a small ally way just past the intersection. For a Saturday morning, she was surprised to see the streets so busy, but was a little relieved that she was able to blend into the crowd. Gripping tightly to her bag, she began making her way up the street towards the familiar pub. As she grew closer, Hermione's heart leapt when she saw a few familiar faces of classmates heading the same way. However, something was different, something was off.

Her classmates were being escorted by their parents who looked very worried and less than thrilled to be here. Everyone was walking as quickly as they could toward the Leaky Cauldron as they constantly looked over their shoulders. Keeping up with the bustling crowd, Hermione followed a Ravenclaw and slipped into the dimly lit pub behind her. The once lively, welcoming pub was almost deserted when she walked in. Tom still stood behind the bar, but even he looked on edge. The few classmates that followed in behind her made their way to the back of the pub without lingering. Keeping her head down, she followed suit. She watched as the red, brick wall open to Diagon Alley.

Following behind Marietta Edgecombe, she made her way on to the cobblestone street. If she thought the Leaky Cauldron felt strange, the streets of Diagon Alley were downright unrecognizable. The once brightly colored shops had now become bleak and lifeless. Almost half of them seemed to be boarded up and the once friendly hustle and bustle of the alley had turned surly and cold. It felt as if the streets were filled with a hush panic and every witch or wizard who was there wanted to leave as soon as possible. As she continued onwards, she was looking for anyone who she could possibly talk to. When she came to _Eeylops Owl Emporium_ , one familiar face caught her eye.

 _Bloody hell, that's Harry..._

Walking up to the large, tattered poster that covered the window, she was staring at one of her best friends with the words "Undesirable No. 1" written in large, bold letters over top his picture. She could feel her heart rate sky rocket as she continued reading.

 _50,000 Galleon reward... any information contact the Ministry right away. If found to be aiding Harry Potter in any way, know that punishment will be swift and severe._

She knew she was in public and it was taking everything in her not to seem panicked. Looking quickly side to side, no one appeared to be paying any attention to her reading the sign. Taking a deep breath to try and calm herself, she turned back to finish. When she came to the end, she did notice a smaller, yet still just as unsettling poster underneath.

 _Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger are known to be in conspiracy with Undesirable No. 1. Any information regarding their whereabouts should contact the Ministry immediately._

A picture of both her and Ron accompanied the flyer. It was strange seeing her face looking back at her with the words 'Wanted' written above it.

 _Well, at least I know both of them haven't been caught yet._ She turned away from the window not wanting to continue staring at the posters. _I have to stay focused, there has to be someone here I will be able to talk to. This whole trip can't be for nothing, too much has been risked to have this all for not._

Carefully pulling the sleeve of her cloak up to quickly check the time, she let off a small huff when she realized just how much had already passed. _I probably only had a few hours with the amount of Polyjuice potion I drank and I've already wasted almost an hour now. I can't be distracted anymore._

Clutching her bag a little tighter, Hermione's determination took over as she began making her way up the winding, cobblestone road.

* * *

Draco was slouched over, sitting on the edge of the couch. His head was resting on the palms of his hands with his elbows kneeling on his bouncing legs. Glancing over to the small clock that rested on the mantel, he grunted in annoyance that only another two minutes had passed by since the last time he looked.

"That's it, I can't just fucking wait around hoping she makes it back. To hell if I get caught, at least I will know I tried." Quickly standing up, he started to head towards the front door. This was the third time he had declared he was going after her only to once again rationalize to himself that going would only cause more trouble. He had made it a little further every time down the drive, but he inevitably would always turn back.

He was now past the front pouch, marching down the driveway. Each step hit harder than the last which sent their harsh, sharp sound echoing into the woods. Making it almost halfway down the road this time, he finally began to slow his pace. He took deep, long breaths before finally coming to a halt.

With his chest rising, he whispered "I may not catch up to her. She could come back and find me missing. Knowing her she'd go out looking for me and who knows what could happen if we keep missing each other." Running his fingers through his hair, he began to turn around to head back to the house. Slowly, he once again began making his way back. "I have to be here for her when she gets back."

* * *

Hermione made her way up and down the twist and turns of Diagon Alley for nearly forty minutes looking for anyone she could talk to. She was becoming increasingly nervous that not only had she put herself in unnecessary danger, but she had wasted a portion of the Polyjuice potion she had worked so hard to make. A few times she had been stopped by less than reparable street vendors, asking her if she wanted to buy 'necklaces that can ward off Dementors' and 'charms that promised to warn you if you're being watched.' Not wanting to speak too much, Hermione would always shake her head no and try to politely walk away. The atmosphere that had settled here unnerved her and she was more than eager to find someone fast and leave.

As she was heading back up the street towards the Leaky Cauldron, she thought to herself _I barley have an hour left before I have to leave. This was such a ridiculous idea. On top of everything else, I'm sure Draco will be less than pleased with me when I get back._

The sinking feeling in her stomach became heavier and heavier as she walked when suddenly a flash of bright, red hair made her head turn so quickly, she heard her neck pop. Her eyes widened at the sight of Mrs. Weasley and Ginny coming out of Quality Quidditch Supplies. She felt her mouth instantly go dry and her hands start to sweat, but the sinking feeling that had been weighing her down began to disappear. Having to suppress the urge to run over to her friend and hug her, she finally felt the feeling in her legs come back and started to follow them.

Not wanting to seem to suspicious or be noticed, she hung back a little ways behind, but with the streets being as eerily quiet as they were, it wasn't hard for Hermione to over hear their conversation.

"Really Ginny, did we have to make a stop in there? Let's just go visit your brothers and go home. This isn't the time to be window shopping." Mrs. Weasley's voice was sharp with concern.

"Just because this next year at school is going to be hell, doesn't mean I'm going to stop enjoying the things that make me happy. This whole year if going to be _sodding_ ridicu-"

"Language Ginny! I know I've lost that battle with your brothers, but I'm hoping since you're still living under our roof that I can kick that nasty habit of yours in the butt."

Hermione could hear her friend scoff as she waved her hand towards Mrs. Weasley. "Alright, alright, sorry." The feisty red head began walking quicker than her mother up the street. Hermione couldn't make out what Ginny had muttered under her breath, but she was sure it was something her mother would also not approve of. Staying as close as she could without seeming like a stalker, she followed the pair up the road towards their destination. As Weasley's Wizard Wheezes came into view, the sheer magnitude of bright colors and playful sounds made it stand out like a flamingo in a flock of pigeons. As she watched Ginny and her mother open the door to the shop and disappear inside, she remained a few shops back.

 _This is it, this is what you have been waiting for. Try to get Ginny alone, start with her. You don't have much time left and she will be the one who will be able to not freak out as much and keep a level head when she realizes who I am... at least I hope she is.._

With her body slightly trembling, she gathered her nerves and followed behind a group of girls she knew to be in third year. She was astounded to see how tightly packed with people it was when she entered. Witches and wizards of all ages were pushing through each other to get a good look at all the shop had to offer. Allowing herself a moment to take it all in, she remembered she was on a time limit and began locating Ginny. It didn't take long to spot out the whole Weasley family who was standing in the back of the store. The twins, Ginny and their mother looked to be in deep conversation, but to Hermione's lucky, the youngest of the clan seemed to be suddenly distracted by a group of Pygmy Puffs that had caught her eye. Knowing this was her chance to try and talk to her alone, Hermione quickly made her way over to the cage that was housing the creatures.

Hermione knew she wouldn't be able to just walk up to her friend and start talking to her, and she knew she would have to convince Ginny she was who she actually claimed to be. She also had to do all this without getting the attention of anyone else, but luckily she knew just what to say to take care of all these things at once.

Ever since last summer when Ginny had purchased Arnold, it seemed Crookshanks was just as infatuated with the Puffs as her friend was. After a close encounter with her Crookshanks trapping Arnold in a corner and batting him around a little too tauntingly, Ginny's temper had flared and the subject of Hermione's "feral cat" became a sore subject for the girls. Hermione had also snapped and had said "It isn't his fault the ridiculous animal you chose as a pet resembles a snack." After a week of not talking to each other, the two friends finally apologized to each other and each promised to keep a better eye on their animals. Since then, it had been a running joke between them and were both able to laugh it off.

Walking up to stand next to her, Hermione whispered "Hey Gin, looking for another tasty treat for that feral cat of mine?"

Almost out of instinct, Ginny replied "Ha, ha, very funny Hermi-"

Hermione watched Ginny's brown eyes widen to the point where she thought they might actually come out of their sockets. She held her breath as she waited for her friend to make the next move. Praying to Godric that Ginny would accept the fact that she was actually talking to her and not a random stranger, she nervously began chewing the inside of her cheek. After what felt like a lifetime, Ginny's head quickly looked side to side and then reached out to grab Hermione's arm.

Hearing Ginny's voice go low, she barley heard her say "Follow me" with all of the noise that was filling the shop. Hermione did as she was asked as they both slowly and unsuspectingly made their way through the crowd. Finally, they reached a small door at the back of the shop and she watched Ginny slightly open it and nod to Hermione to head inside. Doing as she had been instructed, she walked past her friend and into a dimly lit storage room with a small, dusty window at the back corner. When the two were both safely inside, Hermione waved her wand and quickly muttered " _Colloportus, muffliato_."

As soon as she had finished with the spells, she noticed Ginny look as if she was about to cry. "Gin, what's-"

"What poster have I kept in my dorm room every single year since I've been at Hogwarts?"

Hermione didn't hesitate in answering the question. "It isn't just one poster, it's two. Every year you had the team poster of the Holyhead Harpies as well as one of Gwenog Jones."

"Bloody hell Hermione, it is you." Ginny covered her mouth in shock. "What in Godric's name are you doing here, where have you been-"

"I'm so sorry Gin, but I don't have a lot of time. I have less than an hour before the Polyjuice potion wears off and I have so many questions for you. I know you probably have loads for me as well, but I really need your help before I have to go." Hermione's tone was almost pleading, but she had to make sure Ginny understood the importance of allowing Hermione to be the one to ask questions at the moment.

Watching as Ginny nodded her head, she said "Thank you. The first thing I have to know is do you have any idea where Harry and Ron could be?"

"At the moment no, no one does. When the Burrow was raided at the beginning of summer they bolted as soon as the Death Eaters got there. A few weeks later, Lupin was finally able to go check the Black house to see if they had gone there. It took a lot of work, but he was finally able to get some information from Kreacher about whether or not they had been there. He told Lupin that both of them had been living there, but the two had up and left one night and hadn't returned since."

Hermione was hanging on every word Ginny was saying. When she heard about them staying at the Black house, she could have kicked herself for not trying to check there sooner.

"After that, no one has seen or heard from either of them. Of course, something happened yesterday that got all of us thinking we may know where they had been-"

"Where?" Hermione asked so quickly she hadn't meant to cut her friend off.

"Well, we aren't sure, but something happened in Godric's Hollow yesterday. Dad came home from work last night and told us it was only a rumor that had been flying around the Ministry, but he heard that some type of explosion or something happened there. No one was hurt from what he heard, but a few houses we destroyed and memories had to be mortified. Now, I don't know about you, but that sounds like it has the boys name all over it."

Hermione could have doubled kicked herself now. _What in Merlin's name could have happened there?_

"No one was caught though?" Hermione asked.

Ginny shook her head. "No, there's no way. If the Ministry had caught 'Undesirable number one', the whole wizarding world would know about it. Mum's been a complete wreck since that night the house was raided, everything's gone to shit. The Ministry has made it mandatory now for all students to attend school. It's their way of being able to round up every muggle born and send them off to Merlin knows where."

Ginny must have seen the terrified look in Hermione's eye. "There's so much to tell you Hermione. In just the few months You-Know-Who has been in control, everything has changed. The Ministry is making everyone prove their blood status and if they find anyone who is muggleborn, or even people who are openly defying them, they are sent away, probably to Azkaban or something."

Hermione was starting to feel lightheaded. She backed up to the wall to help brace herself. "How did you find out about not being able to say You-Know-Who?"

"Right before the Death Eaters came, Moody had stopped by to warn us about something he had overheard at the Ministry. He said they may be putting a taboo on his name and it would be better if we stopped saying it now just in case when it kicks in, we would all be safe. Harry and Ron knew about it before they left if that's what you're worried about."

"It was." Hermione answered. Still trying to regain her balance, she took a few deep breaths. "Do you have _any_ idea where they could be now?"

A few moments of silence passed before her friend answered. "I really don't. No one has had any contact with them. We have only read 'possible' sightings or if dad hears whispers at the Ministry, but really who knows what is real and what is just talk." Ginny paused for another moment before continuing. "Hermione, I have to know, where have you been hiding? Everyone has been so worried about you. The only way we knew you were still safe was the fact almost every week the reward for you, Harry and Ron's capture goes up. How did you get someone's hair to change in to anyway?"

The questions started pouring out of Ginny's mouth. Although Hermione was impressed she had been able to hold out this long before asking, Hermione really was not in the mood to go into any details about her past few months. "Right now, I think the less you know, the safer it will be for you. If-"

Suddenly Hermione's words became lodged in her throat. Feeling her color start draining from her face, she placed her hand on the wall to help keep her from falling over. Every cell in her body began to go numb as she watched what was happened outside the dusty, dirty window. The ally way outback was poorly lit, but Hermione would have recognized this face anywhere. The blue eyes, the pointed teeth, she knew at that moment the person who had killed her parents was standing only thirty feet away from her with only a brick wall between them.

It took her a moment to register that Ginny was speaking to her. "Hermione, you there?"

Her eyes were coming back into focus, but her head still felt like it was spinning. The amount of emotions she was feeling was overwhelming her. She had never felt this strange urge before that was gnawing its way under her skin. As her blood boiled, it was almost fueling the wrath that was now invading her. Heartache mixed with wanting, almost needing retribution pained her as it spread. Although revenge was what she was feeling deep down, she was reminding herself that all that would do would cause her more agony, more sadness and leave her feeling more hopeless than when she had started.

 _I'd be no better than him. Inflicting his pain would only cause my wounds to deepen. Besides, there's no way I could take him on, not now at least, not like this. I have come too far to be caught, and I'll be damned if I let my parents deaths be in vain._

Trying to collect herself as best she could, she watched as her parent's murderer leave the view of the window. Pulling her eyes away, she looked back at Ginny. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

She watched as Ginny gave her a concerned look. "I said, are you alright? You look white as a ghost. Is the potion making you sick or something?"

Hermione shook her head. "No, nothing like that, I'm fine. I shouldn't stay here much longer though. The Polyjuice potion will be wearing off soon and I need to make it back out of the Leaky Cauldron."

Ginny said "You really aren't going to tell me where you're staying? There has to be a way we can get a hold of each other."

"Really, the less you know the safer it will be for you. You're about to go back to school and from the sounds of it, there's no safe way to communicate with each other. I think for now this will be goodbye until the next time we see each other." Hermione could feel the tears starting to well up behind her eyes. It had been far too long since she had been able to talk to one of her friends, but at least this trip hadn't been a waste. Putting on a smile for her friend, she said "I have no doubt you will be able to watch out for yourself but, please be careful."

Receiving a forced smile from her friend, the two girls hugged each other before Hermione waved her wand and the loud click of the door told them it was now unlocked. Slightly opening the door, Hermione quickly slipped back into the crowded shop. She was only a few feet away when she heard the door open again, telling her Ginny too had slipped out. It wasn't long before she could hear Mrs. Weasley's voice overtop everyone else's.

"Ginerva Weasley, where in the _world_ have you been? I have been looking everywhere for you, about gave me a heart attack!"

Hermione heard Ginny begin apologizing profusely as she made her way to the front of the shop and back on to the dreary street. Knowing she had just enough time to get back to Charing Cross Road and back to the ally where she had apparated to, she began to pick up her pace. Her mind was in a million places, and her heart was in a million more. It was taking everything in her to keep her composure and push back the images of the night she had found her parents. She had thought about what it would be like to see Fenrir, what she would do or say, but she just found out thinking about the situation and actually living it are two very, very different things.

Almost tripping on her cloak, she noticed a few leaflet like papers littering the ground. Stopping for a moment, she picked one up and turned it over to read. If her heart didn't feel like a thousand pounds already, it did now. Furrowing her brow, she read the title of the pamphlet.

 _'Mudbloods and the Dangers They Pose to a Peaceful Pure-Blood Society'... What in the world is this?_

* * *

Draco stood up for the fifth time now. "Fuck it," he said. "She's been gone for far too long and I can't just sit around her anymore." Picking his wand up from the table, he was almost sprinting towards the front door. He had made his way half way down the driveway again and was about to round the last corner before the end of Hermione's enchantments when he suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Slowly coming up the end of the drive, he watched Hermione take one small step at a time. Although physically she looked to be the same witch, something about her was off to him. She seemed distracted, almost distant and the smile he loved seeing on her face was replaced by a look of fear. It was unsettling for him to see her like this. As she began to realize she wasn't alone of the path, the moment her amber eyes made contact with his, all his anger, all his frustration and pain seem to vanish. All he was left with was relief. Relief she was back, that was alive and from what he could tell, was unharmed.

The moment Hermione noticed Draco, she was no longer able to hold back the tears. It was barley late afternoon, and already she felt as if she was drained of any and all energy. She had transformed just a few minutes ago which had been painful in itself, but that on top of everything else that had happened today was overwhelming her.

She noticed Draco take a step towards her, and before she was able to say anything he had run to her and wrapped his arms around her tired body. The warmth from his embrace acted as almost a shock to her system. It had brought her out of her daze and in that moment, she released the flood of emotions that had been piling up all day.

Softly, she whispered, "Draco, I'm so sorry-"

He cut her off. "You have nothing to apologize for." Resting his face in her sweet curls, he squeezed her even closer to him. "I do think we should work on your note leaving skills though, maybe next time add at least more than fifteen words alright?"

Feeling her give a small chuckle in between her deep, shaky breaths, he said "Come on Granger, let's get you inside."

* * *

Note: Holy guacamole I'm so excited to post this chapter! I know it is a *bit* longer than what I usually write, but I really wanted to add a lot of detail and depth and I needed to get it to this point. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter!

I can't believe I only have 2 weeks left of school, and then it's summer vacation! ( which of course means I get to not only write more, but read more FanFic myself! oh how I have missed reading my Dramione stories )

With finals coming up soon, it will be another 2 weeks until the next chapter. I may be a day or two late on the next one, but I promise to try my best to get it up as soon as possible!

I hope everyone has a great weekend! Thank you all for the great reviews and follows :)

- _Toujours._


	17. Chapter 17: Surprise

**Wounded**

Chapter 17: Surprise

As the two slowly walked up the long drive back towards the house, Draco kept his arm firmly wrapped around Hermione's waist to help steady her. She had swayed a few times out of exhaustion, but he was ready to catch her. They hadn't spoken a word to each other since they began their journey back to the cottage. Draco's head was swarming with questions, however he held his tongue knowing soon enough they would be able to talk once she was able to sit down.

As he listened to the rocks scraping along the bottom of her shoes, he first thought it was because of her fatigue that her feet were dragging so badly, but soon realized it was because she was trying not to trip on the overly long, purple skirt she was wearing. Figuring the reason for her oversized clothing choice was due to the fact she really had transformed into her mother, he gave her side a small squeeze.

Every inch of Hermione's body was still aching. She felt as if she had been stretched, pulled and twisted for too long which was leaving her feeling frayed and worn. Although mentally she was beginning to recover, every bone, muscle and tendon in her felt as if it was still lagging behind. As she felt Draco tighten his grip around her, she went to return the gesture when she realized she was still gripping the flyer she had found on the streets of Diagon Alley.

Feeling the unfamiliar scratch of paper brush against his knuckles, his looked down to see what had caused it. Confused, he asked "What is that?"

Hermione held out her clenched fist in front of her. Slowly, her fingers started to loosen, showing Draco what laid beneath. "It's something I found, almost by accident really, when I was at Diagon Alley. "

Her voice sounded parched. He was glad they were almost back to the cottage. Taking the crumpled paper from her reluctant hand, he began to open it. As he was getting the last fold, he felt Hermione's hand touch him arm.

"Just as a warning," she said, "from what I've read so far, it isn't anything good, far from it really. I was going to keep it in my bag until I could show you later, but with me making sure I apparated back in time I completely forgot I was holding on to it."

Slightly furrowing his brow, he didn't like the fact she had to preface what he was about to read with a warning. Looking down at the tattered flyer, he felt is heart drop as soon as he read the heading.

"What the hell... Granger what is this?" His eyes were flying over the orange lettering as quick as they could. He was flipping through the pages, he was seeing headlines such as _How to Recognize a Mudblood_ and _The Importance of a Pure-Blood Society_ jump out at him. He could feel the anger that had vanished when he had seen Hermione quickly begin to make its way back up to the surface. With his fingers slightly trembling now, he looked up at the solemn witch for a response.

Stopping just short of the front door now, Hermione answered as best as she could. "I'm not quite sure, but I'm guessing it's something the Ministry is handing out now. Once I noticed them, I saw them everywhere. People passing them out on every street corner and the shops were covered in similar posters." She took a deep breath before continuing. "From what I quickly read, it seems the Ministry is making it very clear how they feel on Muggle-borns and how they shouldn't be allowed to use their magic. There's even a section in there on what to do if you come across one and how to summon some type of "round-up" committee to bring them in for questioning, I think the flyer called them Snatchers. They have even offered rewards for turning people in."

Draco felt as if he could be sick from hearing all of this. He took the pink tinted paper in his hands and crushed it into a tight ball. Although disgusted, he suddenly realized they had stopped walking and Hermione was watching his every move. He was still staring into her tired, brown eyes. _I can't believe they are encouraging others to turn in people. I guess it doesn't surprise me, but this will turn ugly fast. With people turning on each other left and right, no one will know who to trust. Now that there's a way for anyone to call these Snatcher, it's even riskier going out there._

Taking a calming breath, he knew he needed to keep his temper under control. _She has been through more than enough today, she doesn't need to deal with my shit._

He released the fist he was making with the paper and continued to the door. "Come on," he said. "Let's get you inside. We have some catching up to do."

Watching Draco give her one of his cheeky Malfoy grins, Hermione couldn't help but smirk back. As she followed him inside, it felt strangely comforting being back here. It had only been a few hours since she had left, but it felt like so much longer. The house felt completely different than where she had just been. The air didn't feel thick with tension anymore and the feeling of constant uneasiness was gone.

Draco entered the kitchen and waved his wand. The mug he had smashed sat on the island and was now filling with steaming water while mixing with her favorite lemon tea and a tablespoon of honey. He picked up the glass and made his way over to the couch to join Hermione who had sunk into the forgiving back of the sofa.

"Hopefully this helps" he said as he offered her the tea. He tossed the crinkled flyer on to the coffee table, unable to look at it anymore. "I was going to suggest something stronger, but then I remembered I was getting the drink for you and not me."

Hermione let out a small laugh. "No, this is perfect, thank you." Taking the drink from his hand, she took a small sip and let the warmth fill her. She allowed herself to close her eyes for a moment as the sweet taste of honey hit the back of her throat. As she slowly opened them back up, she directed her attention to the ever growing impatient wizard who sat in front of her. She knew he was trying his best not to bombard her with questions and concerns for which she was truly grateful.

Draco was finding it difficult to keep quiet. Before he was able to speak however, Hermione's voice cut the silence.

"I now understand what you mean when you say you can hear my brain working." She eyed him playfully. "Want to tell me what's on your mind?"

Turning to better look at her, he folded his arms across his chest and leaned back on to the arm of the couch. "Well," he said. "Last time I saw you, you were so engrossed in reading your book, you didn't hear me ask if you wanted another cup of tea. Next thing I know I wake up to find you had left. Want to maybe fill me in on what happened there?"

She could hear the hint of frustration in his voice, but knew he was doing the best he could to cover it up. However there was something else in his voice she couldn't quit place. It wasn't anger or resentment, but once she looked into his worried grey eyes, she knew what it was... it was fear. Fear was now swimming around his silvery pools and she knew she owed him an explanation.

"Well," she said setting down her cup. "Where to begin?"

* * *

The next few hours were spent with Hermione explaining to Draco everything that had happen. From telling him about why she had first decided to transform into her mother, her arriving just outside of The Leaky Cauldron, to finally running into Ginny and all the information she had learned from her friend. Draco kept silent through most of the story, only interjecting to ask a quick question or to have her clarify something. Hermione hadn't mentioned seeing Fenrir yet, only because she still wasn't sure herself on how she felt about the situation. She had to find the right time to tell him once she had been able to fully digest everything she had felt in that moment.

Draco was carefully listening to every word Hermione was saying. He could tell she didn't go in to too much detail about how she felt about transforming into her mother, so he left that topic alone for the moment. About an hour ago he had fixed them up some dinner and was now nursing his own cup of tea. "So it seems like the few places you had guessed Potter and Weasel were hiding out were correct."

Hermione nodded her head. "It seems like it. I could seriously kick myself for not going to check them sooner."

"It seems like it may have been better that you hadn't. We don't know why that explosion happened in Godric's Hollow. I know the sort of trouble those two can get themselves into and-"

"So do I" Hermione said. "Which is even more of a reason why I need to find them, but now that my top two choices of where they could be are out, I really don't know where to start." She hadn't noticed she had been gnawing at the insides of her cheeks all night until just now when she detected a hint of iron in her mouth. Slightly wincing at the taste, she noticed the flyer that Draco has set on the table. She reached for it and began unfolding it and flipping through the pages.

"Why are you reading that shit?" Draco asked with bitterness on his tongue.

"It's good to know what the Ministry is thinking, and it could help us at some point, you never know."

He knew she was right, but he scoffed anyways. Watching her read each section of the pamphlet, he began thinking about everything he had learned from her. _From the sounds of it, the world has pretty much gone to shit, and I'm sure she is thinking the same thing that what happened at Godric's Hollow has those two idiots name's written all over it. She's going to keep looking for them no matter what and I won't be able to change her mind._

Not that he wanted to. He was more worried about her going off alone again. His voice was quiet when he spoke, but full of sincerity. "You should have woken me up you know."

Hermione looked up from the page she was reading. "You and I both know you would have tried to stop me, tell me I was crazy for wanting to go."

"That's not true-" Draco stopped when he saw her give him the 'don't lie to me' look. "Alright fine, that's not _entirely_ true at least. I may have tried to talk you out of it, but we both know you wouldn't have changed your mind and I would have ended up going with you. I know you Gryffindor's fancy yourselves as brave and courageous, but sometimes it's better to be the ones who lie in wait, think before you act sometimes Granger. Things could have gone very differently today."

Without thinking about it, she returned to biting her cheeks. "That's just not who I am though. I don't wait around and have others do what I can, I go out and do what needs to be done. I knew we would have had a long discussion about going out today and there just wasn't time for that. Even though most of today I thought my heart was going to beat out of my chest, I finally felt like I was doing something useful."

Draco watched as her chest began to heave with frustration. "We can't stay here forever. Today proved to me how much has already changed and how important it is that we find those horcruxes and destroy them. Before that though, I have to find Harry and Ron."

Pushing back his hair, he could tell both their tempers were starting to boil over. After the day's events, they were still both on edge, but at the moment neither one seemed to be backing down. "So what's you plan then Granger? Just start guessing randomly where they could be and hope you find them?"

"If I have to, then yes." She could feel her herself begin to shake. The past few weeks there had been a question she'd wanted to ask Draco, but out of uncertainty of his answer she had held off. But tonight, with the topic of taking risks and doing what has to be done, she blurted it out before she could stop herself.

"I've been wondering, once we have your mum and have taken her to safety, what do you plan on doing?" The look on his face was like watching a fire go out. He looked a little shocked at the question she had just asked.

Taking a moment to go over the words he had just head, he slowly asked "What do you mean?"

Her foot now had a mind of its own as it began tapping away. "I mean," she paused. "Once we have made sure you mother is safe, what did you think was going to happen? You-Know-Who will still be in control, he will still be out to kill muggles and muggle-borns and they will certainly still be hunting us. I guess... I guess I'm asking are you going to fight on our side, along with us?"

Draco had honestly never really considered what he would do after he was sure he and his mother were both safe. However, he did know that now he had someone else he cared for, someone else he would make sure was safe no matter what it took. The only problem was he almost thought maybe once his mother was out, he and Hermione could just run away from all the shit the world now had to offer them. But he knew, in the back of his mind that she would never actually leave with him. She was one who stood and fought for what she believed in and he had always been one to wait in the shadows until the smoke cleared, having others do his dirty work for him.

When he was younger, he relied on his father for help until Draco realized who the help was from and what taking that help actually meant. At school he always had his friends by his side or even Snape looking out for him. Not until recently had he started looking out for himself and defend what he believed was right.

 _And look where that got me. I'm on the fucking run with people trying to kill me or bring me in so the Dark Lord can slowly enjoy watching me take my agonizing last breaths. But here she is, asking whether or not I ever considered fighting along with them. I feel like it should be more of an easier decision than this but... bloody hell I don't know what to say._

Knowing he couldn't let the ear shattering silence go on any longer, he simply said "I don't really know what I thought would happen."

A little taken aback by his answer, she replied "Oh, alright then."

He could see the hurt in her eyes when he said "It's not that I wouldn't consider it, it's just that I have to think about it, about everything. Fighting alongside of you guys would probably have me squaring up against my family and friends, and while I would have no problem letting my father really know how I feel, it's still a little strange of a thought I guess."

Silence once again settled between the two. The night sky had been blanketed with clouds and light was now minimal inside. Hermione could understand where Draco was coming from, but it still left her feeling a little disappointed. Taking a long, draw out breath, she finally said "I understand, I really do. I just need you to understand that no matter where this war takes me, I will always be moving forward, not backwards, not at a standstill, but forwards, even if that means putting my life on the line."

Draco clenched his jaw as he slowly shook his head. "I know Granger, I know."

She felt the corners of her lips twitch in a smile. "My mother always told me, to know something can be scary, difficult or dangerous, and doing it anyways is what being brave really is because the possibility of winning the fight is worth the chance of losing it. I sometimes have to remind myself of that. This war isn't lost, not yet Draco. I believe we still have a chance as long as there are still people who fight for what they believe is right."

Draco always found it impressive that even though she had a day like she had today, she still was able to speak with such hope in her voice. Leaning forward, he brought his hand up to gently cup her face as he placed his lips softly on to hers. She tasted sweet and rich unlike the bitter tang of reality.

 _She even tastes like hope._

Pulling her towards him, he asked "Are you tired?"

Placing another kiss on her lips, she answered "Extremely."

"You should try and get some sleep tonight Granger. We can talk more tomorrow once you've had a chance to rest" Taking her hand in his, he pulled the both of them up off the couch. "Why don't you head upstairs and I'll meet you up there, I can take care of these dishes."

Smiling and returning the kiss, she nodded. She grabbed her wand and bag and began to make her way upstairs.

Once Draco heard her footsteps heading up to her room, he waved his wand and the dishes flew into the sink where they quickly cleaned themselves and were placed back into the cupboards. As he was heading towards the hallway, he saw that the pink pamphlet had fallen onto the floor. Hesitating for a second, he went over to pick it up and saw the title _How to Summon a Snatcher to Come Collect a Mudblood._ Before feeling the need to ball up the pamphlet again, he did see the word _captura_ and the wand motion to go with it to call them. Throwing it on to the kitchen table, he made his way upstairs to her room.

Using his wand to help guide him as he headed up the staircase, a small baby picture with a gold plaque at the bottom shimmered with the light. Having caught his eye, he read what was embossed on the plaque.

 _19 September 1979.. I'm guessing that's Hermione's birthday._

Looking at her mother holding her in some sort of what he assumed muggle hospital setting, he felt the pit of his stomach drop _. It couldn't have been easy to see her mother again, or her appearing as her mother._

The sound of a door opening and closing up a little ways startled him out of his thoughts. Continuing up the stairs, he whispers _Nox as_ he opened the door to Hermione's room. When he didn't find her in there, he wondered if she was in the bathroom when he heard a door open and close again before Hermione came back into the room.

"Everything alright?" He asked.

"Yes, I was just putting mum's clothes back." She had changed in to an over-sized white shirt with a pair of blue pajama shorts. Wanting nothing more than to lay down, she crawled into bed and made her way under the sheets.

As Draco began unbuttoning his shirt to join her, he heard the bedroom windows open, allowing a rush of warm night air to envelope the room with the smell of pine. Pulling his arms out of his sleeves, he heard Hermione say "It's going to storm tonight."

Unable to control his laughter, he said "Are you ever going to tell me how you always manage to guess when it's going to rain? The past month you have been right every time."

Smiling at the impressed wizard, she replied "It's not something I can really explain, it's more like a feeling I just get."

Draco joined her in bed, pulling her close to him. The heat she was emitting only made him pull her in even closer. He buried his face in her hair as he slowly entwined his fingers through her curls.

"You going to be able to sleep tonight?" He was expecting an answer for his question, but what she said next made his heart skip a beat.

"I saw him today, in Diagon Alley." Her voice cracked a little, but she continued. "He didn't see me, but even if he had I don't think he would have even recognized who I was."

He didn't need her to clarify who "he" was, Draco knew. Almost speechless from her words, he brought them as close as two people could be and held her as tight as he could. "Granger, I'm-"

"It's fine, we don't have to talk about it right now. I'd actually prefer it if we didn't. I'm honestly not sure myself how I feel. When I was actually looking at him everything became really blurry and I couldn't think straight. That's never happened to me before." She shut her eyes as she remembered her encounter. "I just, wanted to completely tell you everything that happened today."

Draco could feel her shiver under him. A hundred new questions started to fill his head, but he knew this wasn't the time again to ask them. Quietly, he whispered "Just try to sleep."

As he laid there, the night slowly wore on. It didn't take long for him to feel Hermione's tense and tired muscles relax as she drifted off to sleep. A little while after she did, he too followed her, but it wasn't long after that he woke up with a thin film of sweat on his forehead.

Light still had not broke through the windows, and as Hermione guessed, the low rumbles of thunder were now filling the room. Trying to catch his breath, he could still feel Hermione's slow, deep breaths hit his chest telling him she was at least still sleeping.

He'd had a nightmare, but this time, it was different. It had always been the same things over and over again, him not being able to save his mother and watching her die before he could stop it. This time, although it started out the same with him running down the hall of the Manor, the screams that were coming from the end of it were not his mothers. They were new, different, more piercing to his heart as he listened to them bounce off the blood stained marble tiles. Once he finally managed to reach the end of the corridor, it wasn't his mother who was being tortured, it was

 _Granger. Bloody, fucking hell it was Granger._

The image of her being tortured by the Cruciatus Curse was still burned in his brain. Even worse, no matter how hard he tried to help her, nothing he did would bring her close enough for him to do anything. In the end, a jet of green light poured out right before he woke up.

As he lay there still trying to catch his breath he, suddenly realized what his dream meant. He realized that he now had something else in his life he was afraid of losing.

* * *

The rain had decided to stick around for the next few days, making the already gloomy atmosphere inside worse. Hermione went back to trying to think of where Harry and Ron could have gone and trying to figure out what or where one of the horcruxes might be. She wasn't getting very far on either front though and it was frustrating her to no end. She had talked a little more to Draco about how strange it was seeing Fenrir, but for the most part she avoided it and he knew better than to make her talk when she wasn't ready to yet.

Draco on the other hand was about ready to say he was as prepared as he would ever be and would go to the Manor to try and rescue his mother. He hadn't really come up with too many ways on getting around all the protection around the house, but he was confident enough to know how to figure it out when the time came or enough to maneuver his way around them.

In the middle of the week, the two found themselves sitting at the kitchen island going over the many maps and layouts of Malfoy Manor. Hermione had made it very clear to him that she was going with him no matter what he said, and if he decided to pull a disappearing act like she had, he would have hell to pay. Draco found this a little unfair seeing as she had been able to get away with it, but in the end he promised he wouldn't leave without her.

They had gone over the plan a hundred times now. Each of them knew the routes they would take, what passages were safe and which ones needed to be avoided. Draco did make her promise however that if anything were to happen to him, she would have to leave him there and get herself out. Even though she did agree, he had a feeling she wasn't completely telling the truth.

Needing a break from looking at all their notes, Hermione took out her own notes on the boys. After about fifteen minutes later however, Draco could tell she was becoming frustrated. He had thought of an idea the other night that may help cheer her up and he thought now might be a good time to offer it.

"I know we are planning on going tomorrow night to the Manor, but I was thinking about giving you an early birthday present tonight."

Hermione sat upright on the bar stool and raised an eyebrow. "First of all, how do you know it's my birthday soon, and secondly should I wonder where your mind is at with this 'present'?"

Draco laughed. "No, that's not what I mean Granger." He gave her a sly smile. "Although, if that's what you're wanting, I'm sure I can help with-"

Feeling a slap to his shoulder, he stopped before he could finish his sentence. "Alright, alright it was just a joke." He rubbed the area where she had playfully hit. "I just know you have been a bit down since everything happened and I had an idea on how to cheer you up."

Intrigued, she asked "Really? What's the idea?"

Pausing for a moment, Draco finally replied "The what and where are a secret for now. It does involve us going away from the house for a little while though." Seeing the startled look in her eyes, he quickly said "But I promise it's safe. No one would be around for fifty miles and there'd be no way anyone would find us there. We can even place some protective spells around us. I really think you'd enjoy it and I think we both could use a little happiness right now. We wouldn't be gone for too long, I promise."

Hermione remained quiet as she thought about his proposal. He was right in the sense things hadn't been looking very good for her since her trip to Diagon Alley. She wasn't making any headway with either of her goals and every night since then she only thought about her parents more.

Although still hesitant, she said "If you think it would be safe, then I trust you."

Excited about their newly formed plan, Draco smiled. "I promise you'll love it Granger. It's almost 5'oclock now, I'd say we should leave in about an hour, that'd be the best time to go."

Very curious as to where Draco was taking her, Hermione asked "You really won't tell me anything?"

Draco shook his head. "Sorry Granger, but I will tell you that you should dress on the warmer side."

Trying to study him for some type of answer, she sighed when she couldn't get a read. "You never told me how you knew when my birthday was either."

Thinking back to when he found the picture with the date on it, he didn't want to bring up her parents at that moment and decided to answer "I have my ways."

Hermione rolled her eyes and chuckled. "Always trying to be mysterious aren't we. I guess I'm going to go take a quick shower before we leave. I'll meet you back down here in just a bit."

As he watched her leave the room, he turned his attention back on to the multitude of papers sitting in front of him. Looking at the countless notes staring up at him, his nerves about tomorrows plans began to make his pulse quicken.

 _This better work. I'm fine putting my own life at risk, but if something were to happen to her... I could never forgive myself for that._

Taking the papers in his hands, he began going over the steps he had already memorized again and again.

* * *

When Hermione rejoined Draco in the kitchen, it was five minutes to six. With his advice to dress warmly, she had picked a pair of blue jeans, a tight, dusty yellow long sleeved shirt and a green zip up to go along with it. Clutching her bag in one and hand and placing her wand in her back pocket, she said "Looks like it's almost time to go, will this be warm enough?"

Draco was stacking up all their plans into a pile. Handing them over to Hermione to put back in her bag, he looked at her outfit and said "Perfect" and placed a quick kiss on her cheeks. "You all set to go then?"

As she nodded her head, Draco took her by the hand and they began making their way outside to walk past their barriers. The sky was crystal clear and the sun was almost ready to start setting. Although Hermione was not aware yet, Draco knew this truly was the perfect time to go. Once they reached the other side of the barrier, he gripped Hermione's hand a little tighter.

"You ready?" He asked.

Looking to meet his eyes, she replied with a smile. Feeling him hold on to her, she knew he was about to apparate them when sure enough, she suddenly felt him turn and darkness engulfed her. The air was quickly being pushed from her lungs and her body felt as if it was being squeezed through a small hole. A moment later she finally felt her feet land firmly on the ground as the thick grass cushioned her fall. As her eyes adjusted to the bright sun that was seeping through the trees, she felt the chilled air hit her face. A mixture of Pine and Spruce filled her nose as her surroundings began to come in to focus.

She was standing on the edge of a glade, looking into a sea of trees. The organic smells continued to wash over her as she took everything in. Seeing a quick glimmer of light through the crevasses of brush, she could hear the sounds of rushing water. Following the long, knotted arms of the trees with her eyes, she felt as if they stretched for miles every which way. When she finally remembered to take a breath, the air felt like ice in her lungs. She was in complete awe of where Draco had taken her. As she took a step forward, the sound of leaves and twigs snapping under her feet brought her out of her trance.

Draco watched as Hermione's jaw slowly lowered in disbelief. When he saw her turn towards him, her eyes said everything before she was even able to speak.

"Draco," she whispered. "Where are we?"

As he started to walk forward, he kept his hand intertwined with hers. "Follow me, let me show you."

Taking her deeper into the forest, he watched as Hermione's head turned in every direction as if not to wanting to miss a thing. He grinned as the look of excitement spread across her face. Not having seen her smile for awhile made him feel as if he finally did something right. Once they reached the stream, he gave her hand a small squeeze before letting go.

"Do you like your surprise?" he asked still watching her eyes take in everything. "I wanted to come at this time because I think at sunset is really when you're able to see how amazing this place truly is."

Taking her gaze away from the moss covered rocks that lined the river, she was meet with hopeful eyes. Struggling to find the perfect words to say to him on how grateful she was, she simply said "I love it, thank you."

Relieved by her words, he turned to look out over the water. "I use to come to this spot all the time when I needed to think or just be alone. Remember me telling you my mother and I would sneak off when my father wasn't around to our cottage?" He slightly nodded to his left. "About thirty minutes that way you'd find one of our old vacation homes. Father sold it off years ago, but before then I spent many summers exploring these woods. Even after he sold it, I'd come back out here when I needed some time. I don't know why this particular spot has always stuck with me, but if we walk just a little ways up there, there's a small lake that I always told myself I'd build a house on someday. It's just quiet here, you know? Away from everything and everyone, I feel like nothing bad can touch you when you're out here."

As Hermione listened to Draco's story, she felt him opening up to her. "It's beautiful here, really just breath taking. Where exactly are we though?"

"In the heart of the Carpathian Mountains. You should see it in the winter time, I think you'd love it when it snows."

Hermione knew she would. "My parents and I actually use to go camping a lot, even during the winter months sometimes. I bet it really is beautiful that time of year."

A small breeze picked up and began whipping Hermione's hair all around her. She was about to try and tuck her run away curls behind her ear, but decided against it. Closing her eyes, the forest's perfume was intoxicating. She hadn't felt this carefree in awhile.

Draco felt Hermione slip her arm around his as she learned into him. "Really," she said "Thank you for this, one of the best birthday gifts I've received."

Placing a kiss on top of her head, he grinned. "Come on Granger, let me show you this lake. We can put up a few protection charms when we get there."

They spent the next few hours sitting along the edge of the lake and watching the sun set. Looking around, Hermione enjoyed the peacefulness of it all. The lake itself stretched for a few miles. She had enjoyed seeing the changing colors from orange and red to pink and purple reflecting off its surface. Once the sun was hidden behind the towering trees, they casted their black silhouettes along the surface on the water until the sun finally laid to rest. Now she was watching the black void slowly moved and swayed as small waves broke the surface with what little light remained behind. The air was even crisper than before as night approached, sending a shiver down her spine.

Having noticed her shudder, Draco pulled her closer. Her back was pressed firmly onto his chest and his arms were tightly wrapped around her. Resting his chin on her head, he said "It's getting late, we should probably get back soon."

Hermione groaned. "Just a few more minutes, here I have an idea."

Reaching for her bag, she undid the drawstring ties and searched about for a moment before pulling out a large, grey blanket. Wrapping it around the both of them, she said "There, that's much better."

As she turned around to face him, he noticed she had also took out a small jar. Hearing her mutter under her breath, he watched as a small, blue flame began burning inside of it. He felt the heat hit his cold skin as he saw the light flicker off her amber eyes.

"Now I can actually see you" she said. "I want to thank you again for bringing me here, you were right it was exactly what I needed."

Draco brought his fingers up to her hair and began running them through. "Are you sure you want to come with me tomorrow? It's one thing if they capture me, but if they find you... I don't know what I'd do-"

Hermione learned forward and kissed him softly on the lips. "I'm sure Draco. Besides, who else is going to make sure you don't get yourself into trouble?"

She watched him for a moment as his face relaxed into a smile. Leaning forward again, she kissed him a little deeper than last time and a little longer. Pulling back, she noticed the concerned look in his eyes was now replaced with hunger. Feeling the heat quickly begun to grow and stay confided under the blanket, she whispered "So, about that other part to my birthday present you had mentioned.."

Slightly arching his eyebrow, he gripped her curls a little tighter as he went back in for another kiss. Feeling her hands grasp the back of his hair, he pulled her onto his lap, placing a leg on each side of him. Draco now craved her. Her taste, her scent, her touch, everything he came in contact with he wanted more of. Cradling her neck with one hand, he began to leave a trail of kisses which quickly turned into bites while his other hand pressed on the small of her back. Feeling her arch under his touch caused a low groan to leave his mouth.

With her face buried in his shoulder, she could hear herself make tiny gasps for air. Feeling him break away from her skin, she let out a small whimper. She watched as he lifted his arms over his head and pulled his sweater up over his shoulders and cast it aside. As he looked at her with telling eyes, she knew what he was thinking. Following his move, she raised her arms over her head and felt Draco gather the cotton fabric of her sweater in his hand and pulled upwards. Having taken both her sweater and shirt together at the same time, she was left in only her bra and pants. As he tossed aide her garments as well, his hands came back to her neck, making their way down over her breasts, to her waist and resting themselves on her hips.

As his hands drew her hips ever closer to his, Draco couldn't help but notice the emerald necklace that was laying flush against her chest. It glimmered in the flame's light, which only enticed him even more. Grabbing the blanket from around them, he quickly used one hand to place it behind her before using his weight to lay them down. He felt her breasts press up against his chest as he placed himself on top of her. Sliding a hand between them, he made quick work of unbuttoning both of their pants.

Hermione could feel each kiss he placed on her as if it were for the first time, as if each one was a new experience. They fell hard against her tender skin with each one eliciting a soft moan from her throat. She felt his hand dip between her skin and jeans before pulling her free of them. Hearing him do the same for himself, she almost jumped in anticipation when she felt his hand come back to her and move up her inner thigh.

Keeping his hand on his trembling muscles, he began to make his way back up to her lips. Once he reach his destination, he sucked and nipped at her as he slowly pressed two fingers inside of her. The sounds of her pleasure hit his ears as she said gasped his name.

She felt him press deeper inside of her as the palm of his hand was flush with her body. He rocked back and forth, slowly at first, building momentum before pulling out. As he used his knee to spread her legs a bit more, she caught his ear between her teeth and dug her nails into his shoulders as he entered her.

Draco felt Hermione wrap her legs around his torso. As his hips moved in a steady rhythm, he could feel her tightening around him. Keeping his pace, he continued to nip and peck at her skin for every time he did, he felt her draw closer to him as if needing for him to touch her more.

She could feel her climax building inside of her every time her abdomen clenched. Every thrust seemed deeper than the last and it was pushing her closer to the edge. Clutching his shoulders, she arched her body into each of his motions. When she felt his hand lift her hips higher, she knew she had hit her breaking point. With a few more accelerated thrusts, a moan fell from her warm, plump lips as she tumbled through pleasure and bliss.

Keeping her body close to his, Draco felt her unravel around him. Allowing her to only catch her breath for a second, he quickened his pace and soon joined her in release as he slumped forwards and shuddered into her arms.

Before sliding off next to her, Hermione kept both hands firmly placed on his back. After a few moments of each one catching their breath, she said "Truly, one of the best birthday presents I've ever had."

Draco couldn't help but laugh as he moved to lay next to her. "I'm glad to hear it Granger." Sitting up, he reached for both sets of clothes and handed them to her. "I must say, I'm glad you carry that bag around with you. It really has come in handy."

Sitting up herself, she smirked as she began pulling on her sweater and pants. Once they had been clumsily put on, she laid back down on to the blanket to look up at the night sky. "You know, the stars look different here than they do back home."

Joining her in star gazing, Draco laid next to her. As he looked up at the night sky, he saw the moon was just barely a sliver, hidden among the countless stars. Feeling relaxed next to her, slowly his eyes began to shut as he lightly stroked Hermione's arm.

As Hermione watched the night lights above almost dance and flicker, her mind wondered onto what the following night had in store for them. It was hard for her to believe she could be hidden here one night, cloaked in protection and isolation while the next night brought the realization that she had no idea if she would ever see these same stars again.

Telling herself to get out of her own mind, she rolled over to rest her head on Draco's chest. "We should probably get back soon" she whispered in his ear. When he didn't respond to her, she looked up to see his eyes were closed. Grinning at the fact he was able to fall asleep so quickly tonight, she laid her head back down on him.

 _My protection charms will hold up through the night. I should let him rest at least for a little while._

Feeling his chest slowly rise and fall underneath her head, she listened to his heat beat against her ear. As carefully as she could, she grabbed the edge of the blanket they were laying on and draped it over them. Looking back over to Draco, she made sure he was still fast asleep.

Seeing that he was, she continued to look at him, almost intrigued by how peaceful and still he seemed. As she thought about him and about how everything had changed between them, something began building inside of her. It was warm and it spread through her whole body. It consumed her, but she welcomed this feeling that she was having.

Finally, before laying back down next to Draco, she realized what was happening. Almost too soft to hear, she whispered, "I think I'm falling in love with you."

Her heart was pounding as she said it even though she knew he couldn't hear her. After a moment of letting what she said sink in, she rested her head back down and decided to close her eyes tonight as well.

Although Hermione was sure Draco was fast asleep, she didn't notice his heartbeats had increased substantially. When she had moved the blanket onto them, he had stirred from his slumber. Keeping his eyes closed, he had thought she was going to lay back down with him when instead he had heard her quiet confession. Knowing she thought he had been asleep when she said it, he continued to lie there with too many thoughts running through his head.

* * *

The first rays of sun climbed over the tree tops and splashed across their faces. Both had drifted off at some point that night, each with their own myriad of thoughts. Draco was the first to wake to the morning light. Blinking his eyes a few times, it took him a moment to remember why he was staring up into trees. It only took him anther moment to remember what he had heard last night.

Knowing they should be getting back to the house and prepare for their night ahead though, he didn't have time to think about that just yet. Gently, he nudged Hermione and said "Granger."

Slowly, her eyes began to flutter open. The cool morning air hit her like an alarm while the heat trapped under the blanket kept her from moving just yet. "Is it really morning already?"

"Sorry to wake you, but I thought we should start making our way back home before it gets much later. I didn't know how long your barriers would hold." Draco pushed back a curl that had draped over her cheek as she slightly groaned into the blanket.

"Start waking up and I'll be right back" Draco told her.

Lifting her head from the blanket, she asked "Where are you going?"

Putting his shoes back on and fixing his skewed shirt, he said "I don't know about you Granger, but I really have to take a piss."

Rolling her eyes, she replied "Do you really have to be so crass this early in the morning?"

Making his way into the woods, he snickered. "Sorry, I won't be gone long."

"Don't go too far," she said. "I didn't make the barriers very big."

As Draco listened to her voice echo off, he made his way a little ways into the woods. Once he was finished, he was heading back when he stopped for a moment to look around him.

 _At least I was able to show her this place. After tonight, Merlin only knows what will happen after that._

Even though his stomach began to turn at the thought, it did another back flip at another thought.

 _She said she is falling in love with me, me of all goddamn people. I can't fuck this up, not with her._

As he stood there deep in thought, a sudden snap of a tree branch startled him. Sighing, he said "Coming to check up on me Granger? If you're trying to surprise me or something you're going to need to work on your ability to sneak around."

As he was about to turn around to look for Hermione, a new,but familiar harsh voice made him freeze on the spot.

"I knew it," she said. "I knew if I searched for you long enough here I'd find you."

Slowly, he turned around on the spot, making sure his wand was only a few inches away from his fingertips. As he turned to look at the tired, worn down looking witch, Draco could barely get the next sentence out of his mouth.

"What the _hell_ are you doing here Parkinson?"

* * *

Note: IT'S OFFICIALLY SUMMER VACATION! *does a happy dance while enjoying a few glasses of wine*

I'm SO SO SO sorry I am late on this chapter. My finals kicked my ass and there just wasn't any time to write :( But I have been working hard these past few days to make sure I posted this one ASAP. Writing intimate scenes always takes me a little longer too.

I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! The next few are going to get pretty crazy for sure. Thank you for all the follows on my last chapter :)

Hopefully everyone's summer is off to a great start. I will be able to post chapters sooner now that school is out. I'd say about 7-10 days for a chapter.

A few side notes on the chapter: The "quote" Hermione said about what her mother had always told her about being brave actually comes from a quote I love by Emilie Autumn (who is amazing!) and the Latin word captura means capture. I've never been to the Carpathian Mountains, but one day (when I'm rich and on my European adventure) I hope to visit them, everything I've ever seen is just beautiful.

Well, it's almost 4am here which means I should probably get to bed... Happy summer everyone!

 _-Toujours_


	18. Chapter 18: Capture

**Wounded**

Chapter 18: Capture

Draco stood frozen where he was, his eyes widening at the sight of the witch who was now slowly approaching him. He could feel his mouth suddenly go dry and his mind start to blur. Trying to figure out what the next words should be out of his mouth, he watched Pansy stop just a few feet in front of him.

"I can't believe I finally found you." Her voice was fatigued, but her eyes spoke with excitement. "I've been looking all over this damn lake for months now, making sure to check as often as I could because I had a good feeling you'd end up here at some point."

Becoming even more confused, Draco finally was able to let a few parched words leave his lips. "What the hell are you talking about? How did you know I would come here?"

As if not hearing his questions, the witch continued to talk. "Now that I've found you, I know we can sort this whole sodding mess out."

He was staring into her bloodshot eyes. Confusion was consuming him as he tried to make sense of what she was saying. It seemed to him that she was almost lost in her own world now as she proceeded to ramble on.

"I wasn't completely sure you'd come here, but I had a pretty good hunch. That night we spent together before Christmas break was when you opened up so much to me. You spoke with such a passion for this place. I almost felt like you were talking about what the future held here for you someday... for maybe even us."

Draco's mind began to race in all directions. Every word that came out of her mouth sounded completely insane to him, but the more he stopped to think about what she was saying, the more it all started to come back.

It had just been after Snape had offered to help Draco during Slughorn's Christmas party when he had made the terrible mistake to seek out Pansy for a little tension release. Being lectured on how much he was acting like a child at the time didn't help how completely helpless he was already feeling. Life had been nothing but paranoia and pain for him and that day had been particularly tough. Mending the broken cabinet was not going as well as he would have hoped, he had been humiliated by Filch in front of his classmates and professors, and to top it off Snape had being exceptionally pushy that night in trying to figure out his plans. After Draco had stormed out of the classroom, he needed something, anything at that moment to make life seem a little less shitty.

He had went straight for the dungeons, knowing full well that Pansy would be down there. She hadn't been invited to Slughorn's Christmas party and although most of his housemates hadn't been either, he knew they would be at the Great Hall's holiday celebration. Pansy was like Draco in the sense that "joyous" celebrations were not really their forte and tended to avoid them whenever possible. Upon entering the Slytherin common room, he had found her sitting in one of the room's many leather covered chairs sulking at the fact that the next morning she would be headed back to a home life he understood all too well. The pain that ran through both of them drew the two together like moths to a flame. The only problem was, Draco had been so wrapped up in his own problems, he hadn't yet noticed that Pansy had started to see their time together as more than just a way to escape.

After they both had found their own release that night, they had been laying in Draco's bed listening to the rain that had begun to beat against the surface of the lake.

Having noticed how silent Draco was being, Pansy asked "Is there something on your mind? You seem awfully quiet tonight."

Whether it was the soothing sounds of the water churning up above, or just the fact that day had been exceptionally stressful for Draco, he let down his guard and started to think out loud.

Rubbing his face with his hands, he said "Do you ever imagine yourself someplace else, a place where all the shit in your life can't find you, no matter how hard it looks?"

Nodding as if understanding what Draco was talking about, she replied "I do, all the time actually. It's how I'm able to fall asleep at night. I usually think about being in France or being on a warm, sandy beach somewhere."

Pansy knew Draco had never been one to open up well, to her or anyone really. However tonight he seemed different, more broken than normal and he was letting her into his thoughts and feelings. Figuring it wouldn't hurt to at least ask him to see if he'd respond, she said "Where do you like to think you are?"

Draco thought about her question for a moment. He was picturing himself there now and it made the corners of his lips twitch into a smile. "You know my parents old place on Balea Lake?"

"I do" she said.

"When I was younger, I followed the stream that comes off of it down the mountain and ended up finding it comes out into a smaller lake. It's in the middle of nowhere, I bet not many people have come across it before. I feel like when I am there, I am finally able to just think and enjoy some peace and quiet in my life. "

As if saying it just in passing, he added "That's where I'd like to end up some day. It's the perfect place to just hide and get away from this shitty world."

As Pansy listened to Draco open up and describe his own sanctuary, it was at that moment that she began to think their relationship was something more than what it was. In reality though, Draco had been having a hard day and a few of his thoughts had just slipped past his usual protective barrier. After this conversation was when Pansy had started to become somewhat obsessed with him, even possessive. He had put a stop to their mutual tension release sessions shortly after the Christmas holidays, but as Draco had heard from Hermione, she clearly had other ideas of what "this is done" meant.

Draco continued to be rooted to the ground, listening to Pansy as she continued to elaborate on how proud she was of herself for finding him.

"Once I found where your old cottage was, it was easy to follow the stream you had mentioned to the lake at the end. You're lucky I am the kind of person who remembers the details on what makes you happy Draco. I could tell this place, where you like to escape to, was pretty special to you. I remember you saying 'it's the place to go when you want to hide.'"

Smiling at him, she continued to say "And, lucky for me I was right in assuming you would come here, to the place where you felt like it would protect you. I even remember you saying sunrise was the best time to come and think."

Suppressing the urge to say "sunset" and correct her, Draco couldn't believe what he was hearing _. Bloody, fucking hell, how in the world did she remember that?_

He knew he didn't have much time. He had been gone far too long now and Hermione was sure to come looking for him. Noticing she already had an advantage of having her wand out, he was hoping to avoid the need for using them. Needing to think of a plan fast, he asked "Why did you come here?"

Watching the look of confusion now spread to her face, she replied "Why, I came to bring you back home of course. When I heard you had taken off and no one knew where you were, I was devastated. I know we both haven't had the best family life lately, and it seemed like this past year has been particularly hard on you, but the Draco I knew wouldn't just run away from something he believed in. Once we go back, I know everything can be sorted out and the Dark Lord will give you a second chance. I wish you would have taken my offer to help you with whatever was bothering you during the school year, I know I could have helped."

As she took a step closer, Draco almost instinctively took a step back. He noticed she looked a little hurt by his actions, but she quickly hid it.

"Anyways, shortly after you vanished I overheard my parents talking one night about how the Dark Lord had put a price out on your head for betraying him. Right then I knew I had to be the one to find you before anyone else did so we could sort this out together and clear everything up. There was no way you would take the Dark Mark and then suddenly leave the cause. You want those disgusting Mud-bloods gone more than anyone."

Draco flinched at the sound of the word, but she didn't seem to notice. Watching her as she began fiddling with her hands, she said "You'll be proud to know though that I will be taking the Dark Mark soon too."

Sounding disgusted with her almost proud remark, he said "You want to become a Death Eater?"

A little shocked at his questions, she replied "Of course I do, what higher honor is there? I know my parents would be so proud of me if I could join them as well. You have been gone for awhile, but oh Draco the things that the Dark Lord and his followers have been doing will amaze you. They have been rounding up those disgusting Mud-bloods and sending them off to Azkaban where they belong."

Shaking his head, he was trying to keep his cool. She still thought of him as the same person she had once known, but he was far from it. As much as he wanted to stand up for his new found views, he knew this wasn't the time or place. Needing to get rid of her, he simply said "You have to go, now. I'm not coming back with you."

She looked hurt by what he had said. "I'm not leaving without you Draco, what kind of girlfriend would I be if-"

"Wait," he said as he bluntly interrupted her. His blood was past the boiling point now and it was taking everything in him to keep it together. " What did you just say? You are _not_ my fucking girlfriend Parkinson. I told you at the beginning of the year that our little arrangement to 'help' each other was over. Never once did what we have even remotely come close to a relationship. "

Watching his words sting her, she tried to play off his comment. "Oh, I know we had talked about us taking a break or something ridiculous like that, but we both know we are going to end up together. We both come from Pure-blood families and we both have the same values. Now stop messing around and lets go home so we can sort this whole mess out. I know they will welcome you back if you just talk to them, tell them you will do whatever it takes to earn their trust back."

Draco furrowed his brow. He could still feel the tips of his fingers were grazing his wand. He had hoped to convince her to just leave, but by the way she was speaking, her delusions seem to be making that less and less of an option. "Listen to me when I say that I am not coming back with you. You have to know they will kill me, there are no second chances with the Dark Lord."

He could tell she was starting to become inpatient with him as he told her again he wouldn't be leaving with her. Watching as she gripped her wand a little tighter, he knew she wasn't going to take 'no' as an answer.

As if somehow being able to tell what he was thinking, she said "You're not planning on going for your wand are you? Draco, there's no need to worry. Trust me, just come back with me and we can get through this together."

She raised her wand a little more towards him, prepared to use it if needed. As he was about to make a quick grab for his own wand, a sudden snapping of tree branches caused him to look away for just a moment when he felt a sharp blast hit his stomach, causing him to buckle over in pain.

* * *

Hermione had dressed and packed up the blanket almost ten minutes ago. She was sitting on one of the moss covered rocks that lined the lake as her fingers continued to tap anxiously on her knee. As she watched the morning fog roll over the water, the eeriness of it all made her stomach turn.

 _Where in Merlin's name could he be?_

Worried he had stepped outside of the barrier by mistake and was now unable to find his way back to her, she decided it was time to go looking for him.

Mumbling to herself, she said "I told him to stay close, but did he listen? Of course not."

Making her way through the trees, she was glad Draco's footprints were easy to see in the soft, dewy morning grass. As she was about to come up over a hill, she could hear Draco's voice.

Assuming he was frustrated for not being able to find his way back, Hermione laughed and said "I never knew you were like me who talks to themselves when they are upset."

As she came over the hill, she tripped on a fallen branch and stumbled into the mix. Seeing a quick flash of red light, it took her a moment to realize what she was looking at. Suddenly, her senses went into overdrive. She could feel herself start to sweat and freeze to the bone all at once. Only a little ways away from her stood Pansy Parkinson who had her wand aimed right at her, and a few feet from Pansy was Draco who was doubled over. Fear was trying to take over her body, but she knew better than to let it. Before she was able to speak though, Pansy's voice split the silence.

"Fucking hell, it's you." Pansy took a step away from Draco and towards Hermione. "My luck just keeps on getting better today."

Draco knew it was over for him. Pansy now held onto his wand and even though he knew Hermione would never do it, he was able to choke out "Run Granger" before he heard Pansy whisper the word that made his heart drop.

" _Captura_."

A loud crack rang in Hermione's ears before she reached for her wand. She was able to land one hex on Pansy that caused a howl of pain to leave her mouth before she felt herself being pushed to the ground by a forcing hand. Feeling her wand leave her fingertips and fly towards a different set of hands, she was able to catch her fall on the cool morning grass. More than a handful of wizards were now closing in on them and she knew there was no getting away.

Draco felt a shove from behind as he heard the voice of a familiar werewolf yell "Search them, take anything they've got."

Pansy was cursing under her breath still and grasping at her chest when Fenrir tried to speak with her. "What is it this time Parkinson? Last time you called us, the Mud-blood you had found only brought us a few thousand Galleons. Apparently he wasn't worth so much to them."

Coughing to catch her breath, she finally manage to say "Well you're lucky I called you in the first place. I could have taken that reward for myself... the only problem was he did have a slight jump on me."

Rolling her eyes at her own mistake, she continued "Anyways, I think you'll be very pleased at who I found today."

Hermione's body went rigid as the werewolf's piercing blue eyes turned to focus on her. Her heart rate quickened like a caged bird trying to escape from becoming prey. He was now swooping towards her and causing every hair on the back of her neck to stand on end.

Draco tried to dart forward to come between the wolf and his prey, but feeling a swift jab to the back he was quickly pulled back down to his knees. Watching as Fenrir drew closer to Hermione, he turned to look at Pansy.

"What the hell have you done you stupid bitch?" He was outraged at the witch. "Do you know what you just did?"

Pansy looked confused by his words. Whispering to him, she said "It's going to be alright Draco, this is the perfect plan! Things couldn't have gone better for us. I'll tell everyone that it was you who captured that Mud-blood and you will be a hero! She and Potter have always been close, she is bound to know where he is. Don't you see, everything is going to be ok."

The still aching witch took a step towards Draco to offer some reassurance. As Draco struggled again to try and get free from the capture's hold, he gritted his teeth as he said "You get close enough for me to grab you and I swear it will be the last thing you ever do."

Hermione' head was starting to work again as it was finally able to catch up to what had happened in the last few minutes. But now with each step Fenrir took towards her, she could feel her veins pulse with anticipation. Adrenaline was leaving her muscles rigid and tense. She was taking quick, gasping breaths, having to remind herself to breath. He stopped just a few feet in front of her and she could smell dirt and iron on his clothes. As he bent down to speak to her, the smell of blood was almost suffocating.

"Well, well, well. Now who do we have here?" The werewolf bent down to take a better look. When Hermione averted her gaze to look past his icy stare, he grabbed her hair to take back her attention.

Hermione let out a low grunt of pain, but she refused to let him hear that. She was now staring into the eyes of her parents killer, the monster who took away the only family she had and it made her sick to think he probably didn't even remember what they looked like. The points of his teeth scrapped together like fingernails on a chalkboard as he spoke.

Watching him lick his dry, cracked lips, he said "I bet you taste just as delicious as you're parents did."

She was now trembling uncontrollably. Every nerve fiber in Hermione's body felt like it was exposed to the elements as her heart continued to pound against her chest. Watching as one of his long, sharp fingernails came dangerously close to gliding along down her cheek, she shivered in anticipation.

Draco's anger was past the point of being able to control it. The moment Fenrir placed his hands on Hermione, it was over for him. Giving a quick jab to his capture, he turned on the spot and was able to place a firm punch to the man face before sprinting towards Hermione.

"Don't you fucking touch her!" he shouted.

He was able to make it a few feet before he felt another fiery, hot blast hit his back. He made it a few more steps before a second blast came from another direction, sending him back down to the ground. He could hear Pansy yelling at him, saying what he is doing won't help his case, but the only thing he cared about at that moment was getting to Hermione.

Hearing a loud crack, Hermione felt Fenrir's grip loosen on her curls as he turned his attention to the sounds coming from behind him. She could see Draco had tried to fight his way over to her, but without his own wand, she knew he wouldn't make it very far. Almost stuttering her words, she manage to say "Draco, please don't. Just stay there."

She watched as an evil smile spread across Fenrir's face. His yellow stained teeth almost glowed against his soot covered face. Finally releasing her hair and tossing her to the side, the werewolf let off a low whistle.

"Well I'll be damned. How could I have missed seeing this? Looks like we also have the Malfoy boy with us. I must say Parkinson, you actually did well for once."

Turning to his fellow snatchers, he said "Fan out, make sure Potter isn't anywhere around here. We have a third of their group, the others must be close."

Hermione tried to swallow the lump that continued to build in her throat when she noticed Pansy place herself in front of Draco.

"Treat the Mud-blood however you want, but don't even think about harming him." She had her wand pointed directly at Greyback. "I know he's wanted, but this whole thing is just a huge misunderstanding. You know how the Malfoy's feel about people like _her_ " she pointed over to Hermione who was now being told to stand up so they could tie her hands.

"You know that Draco has always been for everything that we believe in. We'll take him with us, but you should know... it was actually Draco who found her, he deserves the credit."

Draco was watching Hermione. He knew she had seen Fenrir in Diagon Alley, but she had never been really able to talk about the experience. Now, here he was, taunting her about how he was the one who had killed her parents. He was amazed that somehow she was still able to stay standing. Catching her glance, even though she was staying strong on the outside, he could see the pain building behind her eyes.

The two captives continued to hold each other's stare as they listened to Pansy continue to rant about how Draco was still a Malfoy and Pure-blood. Hermione could tell Draco was about to go off on the witch and tell her who he really was now. But Hermione knew that if he did that, it would only make matters worse.

 _Maybe if they think he is still one of them, it could help us, or at least him get out of this. Draco has to know that he has to go along with what she is saying, doesn't he?_

Her question was soon answered though when she saw his jaw clench and his fist tighten. She could see his silence was about to break and she knew she somehow had to get through to him. Trying to be as discrete as possible, she slowly shook her head back and forth as she whispered "please don't."

Draco knew what she was asking for and it was taking everything in him to keep his mouth shut. Feeling a knee jab into his back, he heard one of the snatchers yell "Get up you fucking traitor."

As he rose to his feet, Pansy interjected with another "Stop calling him that!"

Hearing the rustling of brush and snapping of branches, Draco caught the sight of the few snatchers that had went out looking for Harry and Ron come back.

"Didn't find anything boss" one said. "We looked everywhere but nothing. We should get her to the Ministry as soon as possible for questioning thou- "

Fenrir scoffed before speaking. "No, not the Ministry. I have another idea, a better idea." He turned to Pansy before looking at Malfoy. "You really think you did you're little boyfriend here a favor huh? Well I know of one particular family member of his who's been dying to get her hands on him. Let's see what she thinks about all of this."

Turning his attention to Hermione, he added "As for her, I think You-Know-Who will _personally_ want to interrogate her. We'll take her to the Manor as well. Besides, the Ministry will take credit for finding them and we just can't have that."

Draco barely heard Pansy begin protesting again, telling Fenrir that is was important to say it was Draco who had found Hermione before he felt every cell in his body awaken with fear. He was still looking at Hermione who was becoming less and less convincing that fear was also making its way into her body. He wanted to go to her, to hold and to tell her it was all going to be alright. But he knew it wasn't going to be alright. Far, far from it.

Hermione's vision was starting to blur and everything began to fade. Her quick, raspy breaths were shaking her whole body.

 _This is it_. She thought. _It' all over._

Her voice was shaky when she said "I have no idea where Harry is, I swear-"

She felt her captor grab hold of the base of her neck and slightly jerk it back. "Like hell you don't. You try and pull anything funny Mud-blood and I swear it will be the last thing you ever do."

His fingers felt like ice against her skin and sent uncontrollable shivers down her spine. Before they disapparated, she caught a glimpse of Draco who was putting up a fight again before his captor's fist hit his face. The small trail of blood that was now leaving his bottom lip was the last thing she saw before she felt the unmistakable pull.

Draco could taste blood on his tongue as the air was being pushed from his lungs. When his feet his solid ground, a pit in his stomach sank even lower as the familiar narrow dirt road came into view. It was slightly misting which was turning the walkway into dark, muddy pools. The wind was whipping through the tree tops and it was making it hard to hear the conversations around him. Looking around for Hermione, he spotted her instantly. She was only a few feet away, but she was quickly shuffled up to the front of the pack.

Hermione was now looking at a wrought-iron gate that was at least six feet high. It was made out of rods that twisted and turned every which way. It looked as if it had stood there for centuries. She watched as the drops of rain slid down the smooth, iron barrier, pausing just for a moment before continuing on their journey. Her mind was blurring with the fog that surrounded them when suddenly a harsh, wicked voice made her jump.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Draco knew at once who the voice belonged to.

 _Aunt Bella._

Fenrir pushed his way to the gate. "I think you're going to want to let us in."

"And why the hell would I want to do that?" she roared.

Hermione could see his teeth glowing in the distance again as his lips parted into a smile. "Because we have a certain nephew of yours and a certain Mud-blood who has been known to be close to Potter and probably knows where he is."

Watching the gate shoot open, Hermione started to say "I'm telling you, I don't know where-" but she was cut off when Fenrir's hand echoed across her face. The sting of his skin hitting hers was enough to make her eyes water.

"Shut your filthy mouth Mud-Blood. I'd be wise to just fess up to what you know now before it gets worse for you."

Draco's ears were filled with the sounds of Pansy's laughs that were directed towards Hermione's pain. The blood that ran through his veins was burning him from the inside out. He tried to get free once more, but a second blow to his lower lip told him escape wasn't going to happen.

As the group headed up the path that was lined by high, clean cut hedges, the rain continued to soak through their clothes making its way to their skin. The slippery, uneven pathway was making it hard to walk on, especially since they were being pushed forward. Hermione was trying as hard as she could to keep a level head, to try and figure out a plan of escape. However try as she might, her brain just couldn't keep the fear at bay any longer.

When they finally managed to make it to the front of the house, Draco heard the slight creak of the large wooden front door open into his family home. He was a few people back from Hermione who was still in front, but when the door fully opened, he had a clear shot of his aunt's pale, gaunt face.

"You better not be telling lies Greyback, or you'll have more than just me to answer to." Bellatrix's eyes narrowed onto the werewolf.

"See for yourself." He grabbed Hermione by the arm and pulled her to his side.

Hermione suddenly forgot how to breath. Her chest was tightening and sheer panic had set in. The air around her was heavy and thick, weighting on her already troubled body. She suddenly felt someone come up to stand next to her.

"See" a man said holding up a Daily Prophet to her face. "It is her, the Mud-blood who is wanted in connection with the Potter boy!"

Bellatrix grabbed the paper from the man's hand and looked at it closely. Slowly, she looked back up at Hermione and then once more back down at the paper. After a few more silent moments, Hermione saw the witch smile with malevolence.

Finally speaking, Bella said "You said you had my nephew too, where is he?"

Draco felt a hand push on his back, telling him to move forward. Making his way to the front, he tried to direct him and his capture more towards where Hermione stood, even if it was only a few more inches than before.

Once he reached the front, he was jerked backwards which signaled him to stop walking. He was now face to face with his aunt who was grinning even wider now.

"You stupid, stupid boy." She learned in to whisper in his ear. "When I'm through with you, not even your pathetic mother will recognize you."

Draco tried to lunge forward, but the hold on him was still too much. He watched as she turned around and headed back inside the house.

"Bring them in here. Lucius should be down in a moment."

Hermione gave Draco a look that caused his whole body to ache. Her eyes were almost asking him what the answer to their problem was, and the only thing he could do was stare back into her fear filled eyes and ask her the same question.

As the two entered a hallway that was lined with Malfoy family portraits, Hermione could hear Draco's ancestors not only yelling words such as "Mud-blood" her way, but words like blood "traitor" and "utter disgrace" towards Draco. Once they had made it to the drawing room, Bella had her wand already out and was tapping against her leg.

Hermione and Draco had made sure to keep as close together as the snatchers would allow. Hermione's chilled skin was grazing against Draco's. The heat from his body felt wildly comforting, almost giving her a small sense of safety that she so desperately needed at the moment.

"Now," Bellatrix said. "Which one of you do I start with first?"

* * *

Note: I want to thank you all SO _SO_ very much for all the follows and all the amazing reviews on my last chapter. You have no idea how many times I have read and re-read them and how many times they have seriously made my day :-D!

(For some reason though the reviews are not always showing up right away on the chapters, but please know that I do still see them and receive emails for them. Right now it is taking about a week for them to show up on the site, hopefully that gets fixed soon :) )

I'm sorry this chapter is a little shorter than my last few, but I had to stop it here. The next once is going to be pretty intense and if I did everything I wanted to during this chapter, it would have been too much.

I already have the next chapter started, so hopefully not too long of a wait, but I will still say about a week for now.

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

- _Toujours._


	19. Chapter 19: Pain

**Wounded**

Chapter 19: Pain

Hermione's staggered breaths were rattling in her ears. She watched as Bellatrix flicked her wand back and forth between Draco and herself, trying to figure out which one to question first. She looked demented, twisted, looking as if she was taking pleasure in thinking about all the ways she was going to inflict her merciless fun. As the deranged witch's wand fell back on to Draco, Hermione could hear faint footsteps approaching them.

Having heard the quickening steps as well, Draco glanced to his right to try and see down one of the many long hallways that came off the room. It didn't take him long to identify who they belonged to when he heard the unmistakable sound of his father's walking stick tapping along with each of his footfalls. He was trying to assess their situation, hoping to think of a way out. But both of them had no wands, no back up, nothing that would indicate that they had a shot of survival. He was waiting for his left arm to burn to indicate to him someone had called the Dark Lord, but to his relief he had yet to feel it.

When his father finally joined them in the room, Draco had imagined that he would have felt scared or angry to see him, and while anger was definitely there, he felt something entirely different than fear. He had gone against his father's wishes, defied the family legacy and for once in his life had done something he felt good about. That night he decided to run had changed everything. Even now, although he was facing impending death, he felt almost powerful in front of his father because no matter what happened next, Draco would know that he had become in control of his own life.

Bellatrix turned to look at Lucius. "What the hell took you so long?" With the look of annoyance on her face, she said "Look who's finally come home, it's your traitorous son." Her words dripped with mocking exhilaration.

Draco's father barely glanced at his son before he spoke. "I had a quick message I needed to send, and I've made it very clear to you that he is no longer my son. The son I once had would never have brought utter shame and humiliation onto his family."

As Hermione's eyes focused onto the cold, ruthless man in front of her, she noticed a women she knew to be Narcissa Malfoy come out of the same hall Lucius had. Looking over to glance at Draco, her heart began to break for him.

Draco could feel his skin begin to crawl as he caught sight of his mother. She was standing a little ways back from the crowd, but it was close enough for him to see the multitude of cuts and bruises that littered her skin. Her hair was still perfectly done up as it always was and she still wore her elegant clothes, but the life that used to fill her eyes had long been drained. Without thinking, he had started to walk towards her, but was soon brought back to reality by the firm pull of his hair.

Turning her attention back on to the two captives, Bellatrix smiled. "Now, before you walked in I was decideding which one I should-"

"Excuse me," Fenrir interrupted. "But shouldn't we be summoning the Dark Lord? You know, to tell them we've caught the Mud-Blood that has been with Harry Potter."

Bellatrix scoffed. "Do you _see_ Harry Potter standing in this room?"

The werewolf's teeth scraped against each other as he clenched his jaw. "No" he said.

"Correct. And what was the rule if one was to call on the Dark Lord?"

Everyone in the Manor had grown silent. The winds had picked up even more outside now and the rain began to fall harder against the house. Hermione noticed the man who had taken her wand and beaded bag begin going through it and suddenly her only sliver of hope began to fade.

 _If they find Draco's plans in there, there's no way we may be able to convince them that he is still on their side. Without him being able to get free, what chance is left?_

Bellatrix crossed her arms as she asked Fenrir again. "Well?"

Finally speaking, the werewolf answered "We can't summon him unless we have Harry Potter in custody." Digging his sharp nails into the back of one of the chairs, he continued "We have the Mud-blood though, she can tell us where the boy is and we deserve the recognition for finding her, and the Malfoy boy."

Draco practically groaned as he heard Pansy begin to speak. "Aren't you forgetting who actually found that trash over there?" She pointed at Hermione. "It was Draco who captured her, he deserves the credit!"

As Fenrir and Pansy began feuding over who deserved the praise, Draco shut his eyes unable to listen to them any longer. He knew he was going to die any time now and he refused to leave this earth in a lie that involved him being the one to turn Hermione in. As he was about to speak, he heard Hermione's voice cut through the chaos.

"She's right, it was Malfoy who found and captured me." Hermione could hear herself speaking, but she had no idea what she was actually doing. All she knew was that the only shot of a possible escape, was to convince them to let Draco go. If anything, at least he would be able to survive past today.

"He found me, I don't know how he managed to track where I was but it was him, not Greyback."

Draco couldn't believe what he was hearing. He knew that she was trying to save him, to be able to get him out of the hands of the snatchers, but watching her sacrifice herself was killing him.

 _She knows what she is doing though. If I can get this fucking snatcher off of me, I may be able to do something, a distraction maybe, or really just anything to try and get us out of here._

Hermione watched as Bellatrix began to slowly walk towards her. She was eyeing Hermione with a reserved look and it made her heart pound even harder. Quickly glancing over to the snatcher who had started riffling through her bag, she was glad to see he had stopped to watch what was happening between the two witches.

Bellatrix stopped just a few feet from Hermione and she could smell what she would describe death to be like. "Seems like my poor excuse of nephew really can't do anything right."

Giving Bellatrix a confused look, Hermione listened to the witch continue. "Instead of capturing the person who mattered in your little trio, he only managed to catch a filthy, little Mud-blood like you."

"I've already told the people who brought me here, I wasn't with Harry-"

The sound of skin hitting skin echoed throughout the room as the back of Bellatrix's hand struck Hermione's face. The crudely cut, black stone, ring she was wearing knocked into Hermione's cheekbone. The pain radiated up her temple and in to her skull. The room went hazy for just a moment before she blinked away a few freshly made tears.

Bringing herself closer to Hermione's face, the witch said "If you tell me, one more lie, I will make sure you experience what true pain really is. Now tell me, where is Harry Potter?"

Hearing Fenrir laugh in amusement, Hermione kept her face turned for a moment before coming back to look at her attacker. As her vision began to clear, she realized who she was now looking at. Still standing off in a corner was Narcissa Malfoy. Hermione couldn't help but noticed she looked almost as terrified as she was. She had a feeling it was due to the fact that her son's life was hanging in the balance and this thought only made Hermione feel the need to somehow release Draco's hold even more.

Draco could still hear the crack of Hermione's cheekbone ringing in his ear. He was watching his aunt ask the same question over and over again only to lay her hand on Hermione again and again when she heard the same answer. He was paralyzed where he stood, unable to come to terms with what had started. He knew his aunt wasn't going to stop until she heard the answer she wanted and he knew Hermione was going to hold her ground no matter how many times she was struck. He felt helpless, the power he had felt a moment ago over his father had quickly disappeared.

Hermione felt small trickles of blood run down her cheeks. The room was blurrier than ever, but she could still make out the crazed witch that stood before her. Expecting to hear the same question again, she was caught off guard when she suddenly felt a harsh pull to the back of her head.

Bellatrix pulled Hermione out of the snatcher's hand and had dragged her to the floor. She felt like her hair was about to be pulled out of her scalp when the witch brought her wand up and jabbed it into the side of her cheek.

"You little bitch" Bellatrix pressed her wand harder into her face. "I guess we will do this the hard way, and I'll warn you now, I enjoy the hard way." Hermione barley had enough time to register what she was saying when she heard Bellatrix mutter " _Legilimens"._

Hermione had always talked to Harry about being able to clear his mind, and to practice, practice, practice when it came to Occlumency. But at that moment, she realized just how hard it truly was to keep someone from entering one's mind. Feeling a sudden wave of heat make its way up her spine, the room vanished around her as she began to feel her mind wander. Hermione had read about both Legilimency and Occlumency when she had been trying to find anything useful to help Harry with his studies. She had read about how it was preformed, how to defend against it and how it felt to have one's mind taken over.

As she felt Bellatrix rummage around her brain though, Hermione had the sense that the witch wasn't very skilled in Legilimency. It was feeling uncoordinated, clumsy, like she didn't fully understand how to navigate through one's brain or to find what she was looking for. She was trying her hardest to keep the intrusive witch out of her thoughts and memories, but was struggling to take control.

All of a sudden, the first memory flashed behind her eyelids. She was back in the woods, laying next to Draco as she whispered her secret feelings to him. Their night under the stars was playing back in her mind and she felt as if nothing could ruin it.

That moment began to fade and she could feel something start digging deeper in her mind, stumbling as it went. She was now standing in front of Draco asking for him not to leave, then it suddenly switched and now Draco was taking the glass shard out of her hand. She could hear her thoughts echoing in her mind about how Draco's stare didn't seem so cold anymore. Her heart was still pounding, but this time it was for reasons other than fear.

As the memory continued to play out, Hermione started to hear a voice growing louder and louder inside of her head. It was quiet and hard to understand at first, however as Bellatrix was now listening to Hermione's changing feelings on Draco, it became louder, more direct.

 _Stop._ The voice continued to say in her head. _She can't see this... if she sees this, there's no hope._

Draco knew no matter what they said now, they couldn't explain what his aunt was about to see. His aunt went looking for information on where Harry could be, and instead he knew she'd fine their shared last few months. His aunt now had Hermione in her grasp and although he knew there was nothing he could do, he still had to try. But before he was able to try and break free from the snatcher's hold, Hermione's scream snapped every hair on his neck to attention.

"Stop!" Hermione was suddenly back at the Manor. She was almost gasping for a breath as she felt Bellatrix let go of her hair. She knew she must have done something to kick Bellatrix out because the witch was now holding her hand in pain. Leaning forward to help stabilize herself, the cold marble floors felt like a breath of fresh air as it hit her palms. She could almost still hear her cry echoing down the halls when all of a sudden, she felt Bellatrix's hard boot land into her side.

Something inside Draco snapped. He didn't even think, he just acted the moment he heard the sharp crack of Hermione's ribs. He had somehow managed to shake his hold from the snatcher, allowing him to run straight for the witch that now lay on the ground clutching her side. All he saw was her, all he wanted was to get to her and at that moment he knew all he needed was her.

He had acted so quickly, it seemed none of the snatchers that were standing around could react fast enough to apprehend Draco. He was so close to Hermione now that he was sure he'd be able to grab her, but unfortunately for him there was one who was quick enough, someone who had just seen the unspeakable.

A bright, red light erupted from Bellatrix's wand. With a quick flick of her wrist, Draco was thrown backwards and landed hard against one of the pillars that stood in the room. He could feel the air leave his lungs, but nothing was flowing back in, and although his body ached he forced himself to rise to his feet. As he braced himself against the marble pillar, he barely had time to notice his aunt coming towards him when he saw another flash of red which hit him square in the chest.

"You," the demented witch whispered. "You disgusting, no good blood traitor." Every word she spoke had nothing but hatred and disdain attached to it. "I knew you were a coward, a failure and a poor excuse of a Malfoy, but never could I have imagine you do something so sickening as this."

Draco's whole body felt like it was on fire. Try as he might, he wasn't able to move a single muscle as the pain continued to increase. He wanted to scream, he wanted to release some of the agony he was feeling inside, but he didn't. He wouldn't give his aunt the satisfaction.

Pansy had been screaming at Bellatrix to stop what she was doing. Confused by her actions, she hastily asked "Why are you doing this to him? Leave him alone, I told you he was the one who-"

With a high pitched grunt, Pansy was now also bent over in pain. Bellatrix had now directed one of her hex's her way. "Shut the hell up! If you lie to me one more time, I don't care who your parents are I'll make you wish you had never come here in the first place."

She looked back towards Draco with narrowed eyes. "Besides, I think you may want to rethink standing up for him." Rotating her wand ever so slightly, she said "Why don't you tell everyone Draco who you have been hiding out with."

Even though there was nothing actually touching his skin, Draco could feel the searing heat becoming more and more unbearable. He tightly shut his eyes in response to the pain, but he still refused to make a sound.

 _Fuck, she saw us... she saw everything. What the hell are we going to do?_

Bellatrix was quickly becoming impatient by Draco's silence. She twisted her wand hand a little more, so sure that this time it'd make him talk. But when all he did was softly grunt at her actions, she decided to go at it a different way.

"Don't feel like talking? Alright, we will do it the hard way, and like I told that Mud-blood, I enjoy the hard way."

Feeling his aunt's hex suddenly release its hold, Draco thanked Salazar under his breath. Watching his aunt nod to Fenrir, he felt the werewolf's rough hands grab his arm. His aunt was now walking back over to Hermione who still had an arm wrapped around her side.

The fallen witch was trying to take a deep breath of air, but every time she did a sharp pain stabbed at her side. The room was becoming a little more clearer now that the pain of the initial blow was dulling, but when she heard the resounding sound of Bellatrix's heeled boots clacking on the marble floor heading towards her, she braced herself for the next blow.

Shallow gulps for air were escaping Hermione's mouth still when she felt a hand grab at the back of her head. Bellatrix pulled her to her feet by her hair as she said "You either start talking nephew and tell everyone here what you have been doing with your time away from home or," she pressed her silver knife she had traded for her wand firmly into Hermione's cheek. "We will see her filthy blood all over these floors!"

Hermione couldn't contain her pain any longer. Letting out a sharp cry, she tried to pull away from the blade, but Bellatrix had too tight of a grip on her hair.

Draco could see the small stream of blood now falling down Hermione's face. Plunging forward with all his strength, he yelled "Don't you dare fucking touch her again!"

Pansy had let out a surprised gasp when Draco reacted the way he did. Confused, she asked "Draco, what are you doing? Why do you care what happens to that piece of filth?"

"Yes Draco," Bellatrix added. "Why do you care so much about garbage like her?"

Fenrir had jerked him back so hard that Draco had almost tripped over himself. His mind was racing and his blood felt like it was on fire. Every instinct was telling him to move forward, to get to Hermione, but he knew it was useless. He needed a plan.

Having taken too long again to respond to his aunts question, she moved her knife slightly to the right and pressed a little harder this time in to Hermione's soft skin. As another trail of blood came spilling down, Draco knew he had to give her what she wanted, at least for now to stop the pain she was inflicting.

"Alright!" Draco yelled. "Alright... I've been with her all this time."

He watched as Pansy stepped back in astonishment at his words. "What do you mean you've been with her? Draco, you're not making any sense. I think you're confused-"

"Oh no," Bellatrix interrupted. "There's more. Keep going Draco."

Hermione and Draco had locked eyes. Each one still had the same questioning look to them and still neither had the answers. It was then that they both realized that this was most likely how death would find them, trapped with nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. The only thing they could hope for now was a quick and painless death.

The trapped witch felt the grip on her hair grow tighter as Bellatrix yelled "Don't make me have to cut her again Draco! Go on, tell them all how you lowered yourself to somehow fuck a Mudblood like her!"

The room was suddenly in an uproar, even the Malfoy family portraits started to yell again. Every word and every sound began to blur together in Draco's ears. Catching a glimpse of his father, he looked utterly mortified. His jaw had slightly dropped open and he looked as if his walking stick was the only thing keeping him standing. Looking over at his mother, although she looked shocked at the new information, Draco could have sworn he saw a glimmer of life come back in her eyes. The room had now become filled with hate and disgust, and as he watched the corner of his aunt's mouth turn into a monstrous smile, he knew that death would not be quick nor painless.

Wanting to speak again, Bellatrix's shrill voice cut through the commotion. "Unfortunately I wasn't able to really look into her mind very well and see what she knows about Potter. Looks like I'm going to have to wear her down a little more before I can do anymore investigating."

She looked Draco straight in the eyes as she said "I've been under strict orders to hand you over to the Dark Lord. While I would _love_ to be the one to teach you a lesson, the Dark Lord has made it clear he wants to be the one to show you what happens to traitors. So since I can't physically torture you myself, I know of another way to make you suffer. You will be pleased to know once I have broken this piece of filth down enough to make sure she really has no information on Potter's whereabouts, I will be giving her your lesson on what happens when a Pure-blood thinks Mud-bloods should be allowed to live."

Draco's heart fell into his stomach. Before he was able to protest though, his aunt continued to say "Fenrir, take him to the dungeons. When I'm done with her, I promise you can finish her, see if she tastes more like her mother or her father."

Hermione's eyes dilated to twice their normal size as she watched Draco being dragged away. She barley heard Bellatrix ask for someone to remove Pansy from the room who had been inconsolable since she heard about Draco and herself. Seeing Draco try his hardest to get free from the werewolf, Hermione knew it was pointless for him to struggle. There was no avoiding the inevitable.

One of the snatcher's landed another punch to Draco's abdomen in hopes of making him move fast, but each blow to his body only fueled his need to stay put. He was halfway down the hallway headed to the dungeons when he heard his aunt cry out to him.

"Don't worry nephew, I'll make sure she screams extra loudly so you won't miss a thing!"

The depraved witched turned her attention to Hermione. "Now, where shall we begin?"

* * *

Fenrir had turned the corner and stopped where the hall split. Pointing down towards the entrance of the house, he spoke to the snatcher in possession of Pansy.

"Just toss her out there, she can find her way back to where ever she is going." Directing his next words at the witch, he said "I bet you feel pretty stupid now for your little plan don't you."

Draco watched his lips part into a smile to show his pointed teeth. He was still furiously trying to figure out a way to get back to Hermione when he heard the familiar sound of the front door opening again. Figuring it was Pansy finally leaving, he was surprised when he heard the werewolf ask "What are you doing here?"

As Draco spun his head around to look to see who he was talking to, a wave of hope spread throughout his body as he watched Snape come walking towards them.

"Not that it's any of your business," Snape said avoiding Draco's stare. "But Lucius messaged me a little while ago asking if I could bring Veritaserum over. He informed me that Draco and Ms. Granger had been captured and she knew the whereabouts of Mr. Potter. Lucius figured the witch wouldn't come clean very easily and had the forethought to ask me to bring some serum."

Draco couldn't believe Snape was standing in front of him, acting as if none of what was going on was urgent. Hermione's cries were now echoing down the hall and it was tearing at his insides. He knew Snape was the last and only hope they had of escaping, but he had no idea how he could save them.

"I'm sad to report though when I looked at my stock, I was cleared out of it. Ms. Lestrange has been using it so frequently lately on some of the prisoners that I can't keep up with her demand."

Fenrir scoffed at the news. "What a stupid bitch. The one time we need it and it's her fault its out." The werewolf's eyes wondered over the professor. "If you're out, then why did you come?"

Draco watched as Snape reached into his robes and pulled out two vials. One was green and the other amber. Showing the werewolf, Snape said "Lucius wouldn't take no for an answer. I'm guessing he is quit eager to have some type of information to tell the Dark Lord." Finally looking to Draco, he added "It's no secret he hasn't been in the Dark Lord's favor recently. Any solid news on where to find Mr. Potter would go a long way. I brought these," indicating to the bottles, "to help aid in.. persuading Ms. Granger to talk."

The blonde wizard suddenly went numb. Unable to believe what he was hearing, he softly muttered "No, you're lying." Making direct eye contact with his old professor, his voice grew a little louder when he spoke. "You have to help her, you can't let them-"

Suddenly feeling a sharp sting across his mouth, Draco could instantly taste blood. Snape's wand had been raised and the look of pure disdain now covered his face. Draco felt like he had just been punched in the jaw, but before he could speak again, Snape cut him off.

"I don't know who you think you are, but I will remind you that you are no one of importance in this world and it would be wise to remember that unless you are being spoken to, I would keep your mouth shut."

Stunned by Snape's words, Draco could only look at him with pure hatred. This was the man who helped him escape, the one who told him he was glad that Draco decided to not go through with the plan and was the one who hid him in his own home at the risk of being caught. Now here he was, aiding in the heinous acts his aunt was planning on carrying out.

Almost as if sensing Draco was about to speak again, Snape averted his attention back to the snickering Fenrir. "I'm guessing you have somewhere you're supposed to be taking him, don't let me stop you."

Walking past Draco, Snape continued to head towards the room where Hermione was being held. The stunned wizard felt the hash tug of his arms implying him to move forwards again down the hall.

 _What the hell is Snape playing at, he was acting like he didn't give a damn whether or not Hermione lived or died._

They had descended into the dungeons and were now coming to the heavy, bared doors. The air was cold and damp as it hit his burning skin. There was little light to help illuminate his surroundings, but he didn't need any. Having used these passages himself to slip away from his father many a time before, he knew these cells like the back of his hand.

As he was shoved into the room, he heard the door slam behind him. Before the werewolf left him to the darkness, Draco heard him say "I'll be sure to let you know if she taste more sweet like her mother, or more rich like her father."

Draco listened as Greyback's footsteps echoed around him. Range was building up inside of him faster than he could control it _. I swear if I ever see Snape again, I'll kill him myself._

Listening to Hermione's screams of pain, he heard another voice that made him turn in surprise.

"Who the hell is there?" Draco's voice carried to each corner of the cell.

It took a moment for anyone to answer, but the voice he heard next was one he was not prepared for.

"Draco, is that you?"

* * *

Hermione knew what was about to happen before the first wave of pain hit her. She told herself to stay strong, to stay silent for as long as she could out of principle. As she watched Bellatrix smile just before she spoke, ice cold chills ran down her spine.

When she heard the witch yell the word " _Crucio_!", Hermione felt pain like never before. Everything, every nerve fiber, every cell felt like it had been touched with a white hot iron. Her lungs burned with every gasp of air. She could feel her muscles spasm uncontrollably. She could feel the scream she so desperately wanted to let out build at the back of her throat, but even as she dropped to her knees, she held her mouth shut.

Feeling the curse lift for a moment, Hermione took a deep, rattling breath only to feel the sharp sting of the air cut at her lungs. The room was now blurring, whether an effect of the curse or from held back tears she wasn't quite sure.

Bellatrix stood over Hermione with her wand still pointed at her. "You're going to let me into that mind of yours, even if I have to spend all day here." She bent down to whisper in Hermione's ear. "And when you finally surrender to me, and beg me to read you mind to make the pain stop, I will find out every single detail of your life. I will make sure to find everyone you have ever loved and cared about and personally kill them myself. After I find out everything I need to know, I'll then teach you what I think about Mud-bloods only this time, when you beg me to stop, I'll make sure you're on your last breath before I feed you to that animal."

Hermione could almost taste the hatred in Bellatrix's voice as her words washed over her. Fear had taken hold of her now, but she knew she had to keep the witch out of her thoughts as long as she could. If she kept digging, she was sure to find out about her knowledge of the horcruxes and the fact that Snape had helped them. Too much was riding on her keeping Bellatrix from her thoughts, but with every new blow, it was becoming harder and harder to protect her mind.

"Shall we see if you're ready to give in?"

Before Hermione could respond, she felt her brain being searched through again, but it felt even more clumsy than the last time. Suddenly though, she was back in her family cottage standing on the landing leading down to the cellar. She could hear Draco calling to her, telling her to take her time with each step and there was no need to rush. As she finally took the first step, Hermione could hear a voice speak out again.

 _Get out, these memories aren't for you!_

The Manor became clear again and she heard Bellatrix scream. Hermione must have been able to defend her off again with what strength remained, but she knew she couldn't keep it up for long.

"I guess we will have to keep trying.. _Crucio_!"

This new wave of pain hit harder, deeper than the first. She was trying so hard to keep the screams in, but this time it was futile. It took her a moment to realize the cries that were ringing in her ears were hers, but feeling her chest tighten and her throat seize, there was no mistaking it.

 _This is it, this is how I'm going to die._

* * *

The cell was still too dark to make out anything, but Draco knew that voice anywhere.

"Theo, what the fuck are you doing down here?"

"Well I'll be damned, it is you, the famous blood-traitor and family disappointment in the flesh." Theodore Nott's voice dripped with sarcasm. "How the hell did you end up here?"

Confused as Draco was for finding his friend in the same predicament he was, Hermione's strained screams were making it hard to care about anything else at the moment. Turning to his long time friend, he asked "I don't have time to explain myself, I have to find a way to get to Granger-"

"Granger? As in Hermione Granger? The Mud-blood you've always-"

"Shut it Nott, this is not the time." Draco held back the urge to punch his friend for using such a word. He had bigger problems to deal with at the moment.

Using his hands to feel around the iron bars on the cell door, he said "I need to figure out how to get out of here." Another one of Hermione's screams cut through him like a knife. Kicking the door in frustration, he said "There has to be a way out of here."

"Sorry to break it to you, but we have tried everything we could think of to get out of here and there's just no way."

Draco had just punched the stone wall so hard, he was sure he heard the same knuckles he had hurt before break again. Taking a moment, he let the pain they were now causing him radiate up his arm. He figured it was the least he could do when Hermione was taking his punishment. After a moment of deep, shaky breaths, he finally turned to look at his friend in the dark.

"Did you say we?"

* * *

"I swear, I don't know where Harry is! I haven't seen or heard from him in months." Hermione could feel hot tears streaming down her face. Every bone in her body felt as if it had been broken, put back together and then re-broken again. If she wasn't sure about her ribs being broken before, she was sure they were now. She had been levitated off the floor only to be thrown back against it. As she tilted her head to the side to avoid looking into the witch's cold eyes any longer, she could see spots of blood where her head had met the white marble.

" _Lies_." Bellatrix hissed as she reached for Hermione's throat. She began squeezing it tighter and tighter, enjoying the feeling of the witch struggling against her fingertips.

Hermione reached for the hands that were now wrapped around her throat, trying her hardest to get them off. She was sure she was going to pass out any moment now, when suddenly she felt them release her and reach down her shirt.

"What do we have here?" Bellatrix asked. Having felt Hermione necklace underneath her palms, she pulled it from under her shirt and studied it. "Why would a Mud-blood have something this nice?"

Hermione felt the chain around her neck snap in half as the witch yanked it from her. Watching as the witch looked at it one more time before tossing it to the side, she couldn't help but think how once again the emerald stone let her down. Laying sprawled out on the floor, Bellatrix continued to straddle Hermione making it even more difficult to take a breath.

"Maybe I'm going about this the wrong way" she said. "Maybe... I need to cause more physical pain than anything." Taking her wand, Hermione could hear her mutter a spell that was unfamiliar to her. As she watched the wand become closer and closer to her face, it suddenly felt like a scalpel was being dragged across her already raw cheek.

Whimpers fell from her lips which were soon followed by weak cries. She felt the witch make quick, shallow cuts all along her face, then to her chest, and then down her arm. Once Bellatrix reached her wrists, she muttered another unrecognizable spell.

"I want to make sure the whole world knows what you really are."

The moment the wand hit her skin again, the pain felt immensely worse than what it had before. She could now feel her skin being torn apart and mutilated. Hermione was now kicking and thrashing so hard that she had to make herself stop because it felt like she was only causing the blade to go in deeper.

When Hermione thought she was going to pass out from the pain, it stopped. Now only that, but Bellatrix quickly got up off of her. The room was hazy and her hearing was fading in and out, but as she turned her heard to see where her torturer had gone, she could just barely make out a cloaked figure a good bit of distance away.

"What the hell are you doing here Severus? No one asked you to come!" Bellatrix was shaking in anger as she spoke to him.

"On the contrary, I was invited here by the people who actually live here. I was told you may need my services and now here I am, but as I can see you are doing just a wonderful job extracting information from her. I'm assuming since you have questioned her to the point where she is about to pass out now, you have all the information you need on Mr. Potter's whereabouts?"

Hermione couldn't make out what the stranger and Bellatrix were now fighting over, but she was thankful none the less. She was slipping in and out of consciousness, but she was fighting to stay awake. As the darkness tempted her with its promise of a painless existence, she slowly began to realize what was now engraved in her arm.

 _Mudblood._

Fresh tears began pouring from her heavy eyes. She felt like she was now going to be sick as soft, tiny sobs left her mouth.

 _This is how death is going to find me? Laying alone on a floor, butchered, broken and bruised... At least death doesn't have to take me very far, I'm already in hell._

She could still hear yelling going on between them. Needing to look away from her arm, she slowly shifted her head to the other side. She wasn't expecting to see Draco's parents still standing only a few feet away from her. His father looked disappointed in the fact that they still hadn't found the information they wanted from her.

His mother however, was staring directly at her, looking more scared than anything. Even though Hermione's sweat and tears were clouding her eyes, Narcissa Malfoy's bright, sapphire eyes were unmistakable. The gleaming blue stare felt like she was looking more than just at Hermione, but into her soul.

In an instant Hermione felt it again, the feeling of someone rummaging around her thoughts, only this time it was different. It felt controlled, precise and fluid. It felt like the person knew what they were looking for and knew how to find it.

The image of the night in front of the fire at Snape's came into view. She was looking into Draco's eyes as she felt the warmth of his fingers graze her skin as he tucked the curl behind her ear. Quickly her memory changed. She was now heading down the dark hallway towards the family dining room, walking over broken glass and the smell or iron was flooding her nose. She could feel her heart was pounding against her chest and although she now knew what was waiting for her behind that swinging door, her feet continued to move forward. A quick flash of light and Hermione was now kneeling next to her mother, covered in her blood. Her heart felt like it had shattered into a million pieces and every cell in her felt numb. Soft sobs had filled the room when suddenly she felt a hand being placed on her shoulder. A faint voice was now calling out to her and the image of a blonde wizard was becoming more and more clearer in the darkness.

The memories continued to come, each one only being a glimpse of her life these past few months. Plans of the Manor, all the books she had read, notes she had taken, how every bliss filled touch from Draco made her feel. Her last few months were being played like a flip book and this time there was no stopping it.

When the last page was finally played, Hermione was once again looking into Narcissa's deep blue eyes. This time though, her expression had changed. Hermione couldn't quit place it, but it wasn't fear anymore. With a few more blinks of an eye, she watched as Draco's mother took a few steps back from her husband who seemed oblivious to her actions and quickly hurried out of the room.

 _She saw everything. Snape, the plans, Draco, everything. It's all over and there's nothing I can do._

The room was slowly becoming harder to make out, darkness was creeping in from the corners of her eyes. She knew this was her fate, there was no escaping it. She thought about Harry and Ron and hoped that they knew how much their friendship meant to her. She hoped that they would still somehow manage to fight and win this war.

 _My parents are dead because of me, and I was even able to help in the end._

Looking up now at the ceiling, she saw an enormous chandelier hanging overhead. The crystal was reflecting the lightning that was now happening outside and was casting shadows throughout the room. For a moment, she thought she saw it begin to sway, but she knew it was her frayed and bruised mind playing tricks on her.

She was now thinking about Draco, about all the memories that had just played out in her head.

 _I should have just told him, woke him up and just said how I felt... now he'll never know. It's not a question anymore, and really I don't think it has been for awhile._

A new batch of tears began falling down her face as the darkness closed in and over took her.

 _I love him._

* * *

Draco was still holding his injured hand as he listened to the new voices in the room which consisted of Blaise Zabini, Dean Thomas, Luna Lovegood, a wand maker and a goblin. There were so many voices now echoing against the stone walls that Draco could barely hear himself think.

"And that's how Thomas and the goblin ended up here. As for Loony over there-"

"She has a name Theo, don't be such a prick." Blaise sounded irritated as he spoke.

Theo scoffed at the comment. "I was saying, she's been here for almost a week I guess."

"It's true" the blonde haired witch said. "I was just minding my own business down by the stream, enjoying my last day at home before school started and then suddenly your father was at my house." Luna paused for a moment before continuing. "He didn't really make it seem like I had an option so I came here with him. On the bright side, I've make a new friend and learned some fascinating information on goblin history."

Draco still couldn't completely see her face in the dark, but he had a feeling she was wearing her carefree smile she always seemed to have on at school. "Yeah, sorry about that. My father, well he isn't the nicest man."

"That's a fucking understatement" replied Theo.

Draco rolled his eyes and he heard the second round of screams coming from upstairs. He felt ill, helpless on what he could do to help her. Grinding his teeth, he closed his eyes to try and help him think better.

 _There has to be a way out of here._

As Hermione's cries continued, everyone became uncomfortably quiet. They couldn't make out exactly what was being said upstairs, but there was one thing that was clear to Draco.

 _She's in pain... she's in pain and it's all my fault._

Tired of standing around, Draco finally broke the silence and said "I have to get to her, there has to be something you haven't tried."

"Can you please explain to us your sudden interest in the Mud-blood-"

Draco reached out into the dark and had grabbed Blaise's shirt, pulling him close. "You say that fucking word one more time and I swear to Salazar I will punch you right in that face you love so much."

His chest was heaving as he spoke. As he was about to let go of his shirt, a sudden low rumbling made him freeze. The whole dungeon was now trembling and there were now screams coming from upstairs that didn't belong to Hermione. The floor above them seemed to suddenly be in an uproar.

Running to the front of the cell, Draco tried to get a better listen. "What the hell is going on up there?"

He could now hear footsteps quickly coming towards him. They were light, but determined. The sounds of clicking heels hitting stone were filling his ears when he heard a voice call out to him.

"Draco, stand back from the door."

His heart leapt. "Mother, what are you doing-"

"There's no time, we must hurry before they realize I'm gone. Now stand back."

Draco did as he was told. He could hear the iron doors slightly rattle before he heard the lock click, telling him he was now able to leave. Grabbing the handle, he heard his mother whisper " _Lumos_ " and the tip of her wand gave off a dull glow.

Without another second wasted, Draco said "Come with me. We have to save Granger and then we can find a way out of here."

Feeling his mother place a firm hard around his arm, she whispered "Draco, she's already gone, we have to leave here at once before they realize I'm gone . If they do, I'll no longer be able to apparate out of this house."

Confused at his mother's words, he said "What do you mean she's gone? Where is she?"

His mother was now pulling him back from trying to move forward to the stairs to get to Hermione. "There's no time to explain, but if you want to be able to see her again, we have to leave now."

Feeling her son's apprehension, his mother said "She's safe, I promise, but we have to get to safety now as well."

Draco couldn't think, he didn't know what to do. He was having a hard time believing she was safe now, but he didn't believe his mother would lie to him.

With a deep breath, he said "Alright, but we have to take them with us, we can't leave them here." Draco nodded to the other's now standing behind him.

Narcissa gave a slight smile to her son's words and nodded. "Alright, grab hold of my arm. Hurry now."

As Draco wrapped his hand around his mother's arm, he asked "Where are we going?"

Before the witch turned on the spot, she said "You'll see."

* * *

Note: I've been looking forward to writing this chapter for awhile! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it! I wanted to post this sooner, but work has been keeping me pretty busy :(

I will be explain the new characters background more in the next chapter and how they all came to be at the Manor etc., but I wanted this chapter to focus on Hermione and Draco's escape. (and **spoiler** there will be even more "new" characters next chapter :) :) )

Sorry for leaving it here, but I had to! Thank you for all the new follows and comments! I know work has me pretty busy again this coming week with the holiday, but I'm hoping to get the next chapter up in about 7-10 days.

I should probably head to bed now seeing as I have to get up for work in less than 4 hours, but I just had to post this! Only one more day until the weekend :)

- _Toujours._


	20. Chapter 20: Damage

**Wounded**

Chapter 20: Damage

Hermione's vision had now been completely enveloped by darkness. She was barely conscious, but she was still able to hear people speaking around her, or yelling more like. The cold, marble floor where she lay ready for death to find her was now trembling with the footsteps of chaos. The screams and cries were flooding her ears, mixing together into one giant blur of a mess and she couldn't make out a single word that was being said. Every shaky breath she took now was only filling her lungs with the dust that had been stirred up and it felt like she was being strangled all over again.

Darkness was now trying to invade her mind, to take over and keep the promise it had offered of riding her of the pain she was feeling. She knew she still had to try and fight it, only if it meant a few extra moments because she refused to give up without a full fight.

All of a sudden, the air in the room felt heavier and the commotion that had been ensuing around her seemed to vanish. The only sound left that was still playing in her ear was the rhythmic drops of blood hitting the floor and pooling around her head. Knowing she would soon completely blackout, she tried hard to listen beyond the soft splattering of blood, but there was nothing and strangely no one.

Just as she was about to let darkness take her, that's when she heard it, a voice sounding almost far off in the distance. It was a quiet voice, but a voice she would have recognized anywhere.

"You're safe now miss, let's get you out of here."

* * *

Draco's feet landed in what looked like a large, overgrown garden. The hot, muggy late summer air clung to his face as he tried to gather his bearings. He could hear Theo complaining off to his right, saying something along the lines of "fucking landing in this good for nothing pond", but Draco wasn't paying that close attention nor did he care too. The sun had begun to make its descent in the western sky, creating a soft orange glow over the treetops.

Looking around, he saw his mother start quickly making her way up to an old, wooden gate that creaked loudly as it opened. He continued to watch her move up the long, dirt pathway to an old two story English farmhouse that sat on top of a small hill. The once red brick had been worn down by the elements to a mixture of dull browns and copper. Even from this distance, he could hear the single pane windows rattling in the breeze. Having no idea where his mother had taken him, it took him a moment before he quickly made his way up to the now open gate and followed behind his mother.

Noticing the large, wooden door open to the unfamiliar house, Draco suddenly stopped in his tracks. For just a moment, he had been sure he was looking at the same witch who had just been torturing Hermione. She had the same long, flowing hair and similar facial features as Bellatrix, but there was a difference that made Draco's heart start beating again. The person standing next to his mother may have resembled his aunt, but the warmth in her eyes and the kindness etched in her face told him it clearly wasn't her.

He had never met his other aunt on his mother's side. In fact Draco didn't know his mother had another sister other than Bellatrix until he was ten years old and he had accidently stumbled upon a photograph hidden in one of his mother's desk drawers. It was an old photograph of three girls sitting in what Draco recognized as his grandmother Black's sitting area. Each of them were wearing an elegant dress and looking less than thrilled to have their picture taken. The two girls sitting on the ends looked remarkably similar with dark, almost black hair and wide, heavy set eyes. However unlike the present, they both still had warmth to them, even though they each clearly still were annoyed to be sitting on the crowded ottoman. His mother's bright blue eyes and blonde hair sat between them. When he had turned the photograph over, it read

 _Bella, Cissy & Ande - 1968 Black Reunion_

Curious who the other girl sitting in the picture was, he had went to his mother with the photograph who had become quickly flustered and almost seemed nervous to Draco.

"Darling, where did you find this picture? Did your father see that you had this?" Her voice was shaky as she spoke.

Draco shook his head. "No, I found it up in your reading room."

Handing over the photo, his mother quickly placed it in one of her pockets and took a deep breath. "Very well. Next time don't go poking around in what isn't yours alright dear?"

A little annoyed his mother had taken away something he had found and thought it now was his, Draco nodded. Still curious though, he asked "Who is that sitting next to you?"

Narcissa replied "That's your Aunt Bella, you know that."

Furrowing his brow, Draco said "No, on the other side of you."

Looking even more concerned now, his mother looked around to make sure they were alone. She hesitated before speaking again. "Can you keep a secret that only stays between you and mummy?"

Quickly, Draco agreed. He watched a small smile spread across his mother's face before she said "That's your Aunt Andromeda. This picture was taken when we were kids at your grandmother's house."

As he watched his mother pull the picture back out to look it, she became almost mesmerized with the photograph. He had a feeling she was remembering back to the day it was taken. The look of nostalgia spread across her face as she reminisced. It wasn't until she realized she had been staring too long did her expression turn worried again and put it away again. Repeated herself to Draco, she said "Sadly, your aunt isn't around anymore . Remember though, this is our secret alright? Never tell anyone you found this, especially your aunt Bella or your father."

Draco had always kept the promise he made her that day, never speaking of it again. The look his mother had, as if she had been caught having something unforgivable, was enough for him to know even at an early age some things were better left unsaid. If it hadn't been for his accidental finding, he never would have known he had another aunt.

When he was finally able to continue walking towards the house, he could hear his aunt speaking frantically to his mother.

"What happened to you, just look at your eye! Was it Bella this time?"

Narcissa shook her head as she went to hug her sister. "I'm fine really, it's worse than it looks. I'm sorry I couldn't contact you before we came, but there just wasn't any time."

"We? Did you find Draco?"

Andromeda looked over her sister's shoulder, her eyes widening not because she saw Draco coming up to stand by his mother, but because of everyone else who was now following the dirt path up to the house.

Draco was about to speak when another figure came busting out of the front entrance to the house. A little shocked to see a women with hot pink hair walk out, he arched his eyebrow at the witch.

"What the hell mum, I thought you'd be happy about the news-"

Taken aback for only a moment at the sea of people standing in from of her mother's home, Tonks acted quickly and pulled her wand.

"Dora!" Andromeda yelled. "Put that away."

Stunned by her mother's words, she turned to look at her. "Do you know who this is?"

"Of course I know who this is, she's my sister for Merlin's sake. I won't ask again, put down the wand dear. "

While Andromeda began insisting everything was alright, Draco was feeling pressed for time. His mother promised Hermione was now safe, but he needed to know where and how to get wherever she was.

"Mother," Draco said leaning to speak. "You said Granger was safe, where did she go?"

Over hearing Draco, Tonks turned to look at him. "Granger, are you talking about Hermione? Why would you know where she is?"

Draco's patience was wearing thin. His muscles ached and as he tried to clenched his hand, he knew he had indeed broken a few knuckles again. He didn't have time to explain their situation with everyone, he just knew he had to find out where she was.

Finally making his way up the hill along with the rest of the escapees, Theo decided to chime in. "Yeah, I'm still a little fuzzy on the details myself mate. Care to fill everyone in on why you know, and for that matter, care so much? Last time I checked, you didn't seem to give a damn about what happened to her."

Shooting his friend a stern look, Draco clenched his teeth as he replied. "Sod off Nott, I don't have time to deal with you or your sarcasm."

Before Theo could retort, Andromeda cut in. "I'm sorry, but we shouldn't all stand outside and discus this." Opening the door, she motioned for everyone to come inside. "Cissy, I know I said to come here once you found Draco, but I don't think I will be able to hide everyone here."

As Tonks continued to ask her mother to explain what was going on, Draco continued to stay rooted to the ground. He watched as everyone passed him, making their way inside to start aiding the wounded and to get out of the open. His whole body was starting to shake as he refused to move until he knew where Hermione had been taken.

His aunt and still suspicious cousin stayed in the doorframe for a moment, waiting for him to follow, but when he still held his ground they proceeded inside without him. His mother however was still by his side.

She placed a firm yet supportive hand on his arm. "Come inside Draco."

Keeping his focus straight ahead, he said "No. You have to tell me how you knew she was safe, you must know where she went."

Suddenly a truly terrifying thought crossed his mind.

Finally looking to meet his mother's gaze, he asked "You actually don't know if she is safe do you? You just said that to get me to leave with you-"

"Draco, that's enough." Her voice was bathed in bitterness, offended by her son's statement. "I would never lie to you or trick you into anything and you implying I would is hurtful."

He felt his mother's hand release him. Reaching into her robes, she pulled out his wand and Hermione's beaded bag. Handing them to her son, she said "I left the room. I know I should have stayed but I couldn't listen to her screams anymore. When I saw her, and you, and everything you two have been through I knew this was my chance to make up being such a poor excuse of a mother to you all these years. I had to at least try and do something to help."

Draco's muscles tensed at his mother's words. _Shit she saw us, everything?_

Taking his wand and placing it in his back pocket, he continued to listen to her explanation. "When I left the room I ran into the snatcher who had all of the belongings they confiscated from the two of you. He was busy looking at some papers he had just pulled from this bag when I quickly stunned him. That's when I heard the commotion in the other room. When I went to check what had happened, there were hexes flying and that horrid werewolf had just fallen to the floor. Everyone was screaming, trying to figure out where the hexes were coming from, but I knew who was behind it. I noticed the chandelier was moving and I saw it, a house-elf was sitting on top of it hexing anything she could. When I looked back down at Hermione, I saw that house-elf your father always complains about losing, Dobby I believe, cast a protection charm around her before they both apparated. That's when I knew it was my chance to get you out."

His brain was in overdrive now, he knew the elf his mother spoke of. His father had also complained about him to Draco hundreds of times and each time he did, Draco always prayed it would be the last time he heard the elf's name because it had become to the point of sheer annoyance to hear the same rant over and over again. However this time was different, this time hearing that name meant that Hermione was indeed safe and the only question now was to figure out where he had taken her.

Still seeing the look of concern in her son's eye, Narcissa said "Come inside Draco. We can talk about it more in there."

Hesitating for a moment, Draco finally began to move forward and made his way into the house. He continued his way down the hallway and into the kitchen. It was small with a six seated, wooden table placed right in the middle of the room. Blaise, Theo and Dean had taken seats here, each with a cup of tea. The sweet smell of lemon and honey that was being emitted by them only made Draco's heart pain more. Looking to the next room, he saw Luna helping Tonks care to the wand maker and goblin who were laying on the couch.

Standing off into the corner of the kitchen, he heard his mother speak as she entered the room. "I'm sorry Ande, like I said there was no time to warn you that we were coming and I couldn't just leave them at the Manor."

Taking a deep sigh, the older sister nodded her head. "I know, but it's dangerous. Even with Ted on the run we still have unexpected calls from those horrid snatchers time to time."

Draco continued to watch his mother and aunt talk as if it was something they did regularly, like no time had passed between when they last saw each other. To Draco's knowledge, the way his mother had talked and the look of grief on her face she wore the day he had found the photograph of them, he presumed his aunt to be dead. Clearly, she was very much alive, and by the way they were talking they had been in contact with each other before today.

While he watched his aunt walk over to the wand maker and tell him to drink the contents from a vial, he saw her daughter do the same for the goblin. They were both injured, but luckily they both seemed like they'd pull through. He knew Hermione was in a very different boat though and the more time that past, the more panicked he became. She had just went through hell and he felt completely responsible.

Something caught the corner of Draco's eye and he turned his head to look. Sitting in the corner of the living room was a small pale and brown barn owl perched in his cage. Its black and white speckles felt oddly familiar when something clicked in his mind.

As he looked back towards his aunt with wide eyes, he was about to speak when he heard the front door slam open. It caused everyone in the room to jump and a second later someone had walked past Draco and stop in front of his mother.

"I had a feeling you'd come here even though I would have hoped your sister would have told you to leave seeing as they are both part of the Order and have unexpected drop ins."

Draco couldn't believe who was standing in front of him. The man who personally came to help torture Hermione and did nothing to help stop it. Rage quickly consumed him and he felt nothing but pure hatred course through his veins. His mouth went dry while everything around him suddenly disappeared. The only thing that mattered now was retribution.

Without thinking, Draco pulled out his wand. " _Expelliarmus_!"

Watching Snape's wand fly out of his hand, Draco lunged forward and was about to send any and every hex he could think of Snape's way when he felt the same sting he felt back at the Manor now cut across his eye. The pain stopped him in his tracks when the man he was about to attack had turned on the spot and back handed him. For a few seconds, Draco's vision went blurry, but when it came back he was looking at Snape who was now also seeing red.

"What the _hell_ do you think you are doing?" Snape's icy voice cut through Draco like a knife.

"Me? How dare you show your face here after what you did! Or should I say didn't do you worthless, piece of shit."

He could hear his mother pleading with the two wizards to calm down and for Draco to lower his wand, but he refused. He was going to make Snape pay. He could feel his eye where Snape hit start to swell and it only angered him more.

"How could you let them do that to her?"

"Mr. Malfoy, I suggest you keep your mouth shut-"

"You just let them torture her without even trying to get her out of there!" Draco's chest was heaving. It was taking everything in him not to inflict his own pain on to Snape. "Hell, you even brought your own ways to torture her, why in Salazar's name did you even help us in the first place? Why did you act like you were actually relieved when I told you I couldn't go through with killing Dumbledore?"

The whole room went dead silent as those last few words fell from his lips. He had instantly regretted saying them, but it was too late to take them back. Although the Order had been filled in on what exactly happened that night, the other's had no idea what the events had been. Draco was visibly shaking as Snape's cold eyes still pierced into him.

It wasn't until Theo let off a low whistle did the silence finally break. "Fucking shit Draco, were you really-". but the provoking wizard was quickly silenced by the same deathly stare he was now receiving from Snape.

As Draco's old professor took a step towards him, even though he knew Snape didn't have his wand, he was more than capable of still defending himself. He knew he had to be careful. Continuing to stand his ground as Snape advanced slowly towards him, he narrowed his eyes to meet his threatening stare.

"I was hoping the next time I saw you, you would have somehow managed to figure out how to control that temper of yours and had learned to think before you act. Clearly, my expectations for you are too high."

Snape's voice was filled with anger. "If you want to be mad at anyone, be upset with yourself."

"Myself?" Draco scuffed. "Where the hell do you get off telling me I should be mad at myself? You're the one who-"

"Who sent for help in the first place?"

Snape was now so close to Draco he could smell the ash that had clung to his cloak from the Manor. Confused as to what he had just heard, Draco furrowed his brow.

"What are you talking about? You made it clear that you had no intention on helping Granger."

"You really are an idiot aren't you."

Draco clenched his fists, but kept them at his side.

"You really think I could have told you right then what I was actually doing there? Surrounded by snatchers, in a place filled with Death Eaters you really expected me to truthfully answer you?" He scowled at Draco. "You not only almost blew my cover, but you would have been the reason for Ms. Granger's death if I hadn't shut you up myself. Think before you speak Mr. Malfoy, it may just save a life someday."

Draco was having a hard time standing. He was hearing what Snape was saying, but comprehension was still something he was struggling with. His mouth was even drier than before which was making it hard to talk.

"I saw... you showed me the vials you were going to use on her. You didn't seem like you gave two shits about what happened to her."

He watched as Snape pulled out the same green and amber vials he had previously shown Draco back at the Manor.

"This" he said holding up the green tinted vial, "is Dreamless sleep potion." He uncorked the vial and tipped it, pouring a small amount of purple colored liquid from it so Draco could see. "And this" he added while re-corking the first vial and uncorking the second, "is a blood replenishing potion." As he tipped the second vial, a thick, red liquid also spilled onto the floor. "Besides, who do you think sent help in the first place? I had to stall them long enough for them to arrive."

Draco was taking deep, heavy breaths as he watched Snape place the vials back into his robes.

"But you said-"

"Of course that's what I said! You really think I would tell you what the vials really contained or tell you I had a plan? Don't be so thick Mr. Malfoy. I knew what they were planning on doing to you and Ms. Granger. I knew if I told Ms. Lestrange that they would cause more pain she would use it, but all it would have done was actually make the pain stop and put the both of you out. It would have been easy enough to convince your aunt that her tactics were the reason she had passed out. Lucky for us though, she is not the best at Legilimency and didn't find anything we didn't want her to."

"More like we're lucky Granger is strong enough and skilled enough to keep her out."

As Draco continued to watch Snape, he was still trying to wrap his mind around what he had just heard. Draco's eyes were darting from Snape to everyone else in the room who was now staring intently at the both of them.

Keeping his jaw tightly clench, he asked "Did you give her any of the potions?" hoping Hermione was able to receive some of the blood replenishing potion before she had been apparated.

Just as the professor was about to answer, a small popping sound rang in the room. Looking around to see where the noise had come from, it didn't take Draco long to find the source in the small kitchen.

Snape looked down to see the house-elf now standing next to him. "I know I said to try and stun as many people as possible before taking her, but you found it necessary to also hit me?"

Draco could have sworn he saw the house-elf grin before answering. "Had to makes it convincing, sir."

Furrowing his brow at his response, Snape asked "How is she?"

Dobby looked away from his gaze, his hands quickly fumbling with each other. "Dobby brought Ms. Granger as quickly as he could to the safe house, but it isn't looking good, sir."

Draco's heart practically fell out of his chest. It finally clicked for him. "You sent them, they are the help you were talking about. You must have told them where to take her, why haven't you told me yet where she is?" He was almost shouting as he looked at Snape.

Finally his mother spoke up. "Draco, you need to calm down."

"Like hell I do, if you knew where she was why are we just waiting time here?" He was still glaring at Snape, his hands clenching tighter and his nails dig further into his skin. Even though he could now feel he had drawn blood, he continued to dig.

"If you had let me talk about why I had come in the first place, you would have heard me say I came here to take you all to the safe house. It isn't safe for anyone to stay here. Once they found out your mother had fled and the prisoners were missing, they started sending out search parties to try and find you all. I was able to make sure I came here to check. Although they think she hasn't had contact with her sister in years, they knew you didn't have many place to go."

Narcissa took a few steps closer to Snape. "How did you know I was going to be here? I never told anyone that I-"

"We don't have bloody time for catch up here!" Draco slammed his fist onto the counter. He was done waiting around, done wasting time when he could be with Hermione. "If someone doesn't take me to her now I swear I'll.."

He didn't finish his sentence. Suddenly, he feel the sharp sting in the back of his eyes and there was no way he was going to let anything escape. Focusing all his concentration on making sure this was the case, he saw Snape nod to the house-elf.

Dobby walked over and reached out a hand. Draco looked at it and then up to Snape.

"He'll take you. I'll be bringing the rest over after I'm able to talk to your mother for a moment."

Draco looked over at his mother to see her also nod her head.

"I'll be right behind you. Go."

He knew his mother was now safe and for the moment out of harm's way. However from hearing what Dobby said, Hermione was not. Taking the house-elf's hand, Draco knew there was no more time to waste.

"Alright, let's go."

* * *

The moment Draco arrived at the safe house, he knew he was by the sea. The salty, sea air filled his lungs and the sounds of waves crashing against the shore rang heavily in his ears. Night had already fallen and the sky was littered with twinkling stars. Any other time, it would have been considered one of those perfect summer nights to walk along the beach, but not tonight. Something was definitely off. Draco could sense it the moment he saw a lone cottage that sat on top of a cliff. The lights were on and even though the hum of the ocean was overpowering, there was an eerie sense of quiet to the house.

Dobby let go of Draco's hand and started to say "Dobby should warn Mr. Malfoy who also is up there-"

But Draco was gone. He had started to sprint towards the house in a mad fury. He knew Hermione was just past those sea weathered doors and nothing was going to stand in his way of seeing her.

When he reached the door handle, he quickly pushed it open and was met with a startled pair of wizards. Not even thinking about their confused reactions or caring that two wands were now pointed right at him, Draco yelled "Where the hell is she, Potter?"

Draco walked straight over to the table Harry and Ron were sitting in and slammed his hands on to it. "I said tell me where she is!"

It took a moment for Harry to realize who had just come through those doors, but Ron was first to speak.

"Bloody hell Malfoy, why should we tell you?"

"I don't have time for your stupid questions Weasel, you better tell me where Granger is or I will hex that ridiculous look right off your face."

Draco reached in his back pocket to pull out his wand, but Harry was too quick. Having now disarmed Draco, he finally said "Who brought you here Malfoy? You shouldn't be able to get through the barriers unless-"

"Who the fuck cares how I got here, Potter! I'm so sick of stupid questions right now, I just need to make sure Granger is ok!"

Ron had stood from his chair, his face as red as his hair. "Well she isn't alright Malfoy, and who's to blame for that? It was you're pathetic family who did those horrible things to her! Fleur and Bill are doing everything they can upstairs right now to save her but - HEY! Where the hell do you think you're going?"

Draco had made a break for the stairs. If she was up there, he knew he had to be with her. It was Harry though who had managed to beat him to the first step and blocked his path.

"Get the FUCK out of my way Potter. I don't need my wand to make you move and if you don't believe me, just stay where you are."

Harry continued to block his path. "Malfoy, you have to calm down. If we bother them right now it will only slow them down-"

"If you really think I'm going to let you stand in the fucking way of me seeing my girlfriend, you have to be out of your goddamn mind!"

The shocked look on Harry's face was how Draco felt inside to his own words. He couldn't believe he had just called Hermione his girlfriend, but it felt so very right to say in that moment. Taking this opportunity to shove a very confused Harry out of the way, he was now taking two, three steps up the winding stairs at a time. He didn't have a second to waste listening to them.

Once at the top of the landing, there was a long hallway with multiple doors on each side with another staircase leading to a third floor at the end. Gritting his teeth, he quickly began opening and closing each door to try and find where they had taken Hermione. He could hear hurried footsteps coming up the stairs behind him, but he was prepared to fight them off if he had too. However once he reached the second door he tried, he was almost knocked backwards with what he saw behind it.

Laying on the bed, unconscious and lifeless was Hermione. Her face was the color of the white sheets she was on. He watched as they were slowly starting to change to dark red as they were now soaking up the blood that was still flowing from her wounds. The once delicate, wavy brown curls he loved to play with were sticking together in a heap of clotting blood.

Her clothes were torn to shreds and her body looked as if it had been used as a punching bag. Her skin had been mutilated with what he guessed was his aunt's knife. The warmth that use to blush her cheeks was now replaced by something that was cold and almost haunting to look at.

Draco couldn't breathe, he couldn't even move his feet to go see her. If it wasn't for the faint rising and falling of her bruised and sliced chest, he would have assumed she was dead. He wanted to go to her, to touch her skin and feel for himself she still had a pulse. Although the two people standing over her were saying every spell and healing charm they could, Draco was having a hard time hearing anything over his heartbeat thundering in his ears.

He suddenly felt a hand grab hold of his shoulder and try to pull him back, but he quickly shook it off. Taking a step into the room to make his way over to the witch, something he now noticed made him freeze again. There, on her left forearm, still weeping fresh drops of blood was something so heart wrenching that it tried to force Draco to release one of those festering tears again.

Whispering softly to himself, he said "What the fuck did she do to you?" He had never hated his aunt so much in his life than he did in that moment. He knew right then and there, she would pay for what she had done, one way or another, he would make sure that she did.

Ron must have heard Draco's questions because he very loudly answered "We hoped you could tell us. This was _your_ aunt who did this to her, in _your_ house. Where were you when all of this was happening?"

When Draco still didn't respond, he kept going. "Dobby had come to tell us he was going to be bringing the two of you to us under Snape's orders and to prepare to help as soon as you guys arrived, but when he only showed up with Hermione I can't say I was that surprised. Decided to make a break for it, leave her alone there to die did you?"

That's when Draco snapped. He turned on the spot and punched Ron square in the nose. He could feel his knuckles breaking even more, but he didn't care, it was worth it. About to go back in for another swing, it was a women's stern voice that made him stop.

"Will you three please get out of 'ere! Zere is much work that still 'as to been done and you yelling isn't helping!" Fleur's normal happy demeanor was gone and had been replaced with sheer panic. Her husband was standing next to her, still busy tending to all of Hermione's wounds that seemed to still want to bleed no matter what spell they used.

Draco turned to look at the blonde witch. "Like hell I'm leaving her by herself."

He went to take a step towards the bed when he saw the witch quickly flick her wand and heard he yell "STAY OUT!". He then suddenly felt a hot blast to the chest and was suddenly being tossed out of the room along with Harry and Ron. His back hit hard against the wall outside the room and watched as the door slammed shut with the recognizable sound of the door locking behind it.

Even though he knew it was now pointless, Draco still stood and tried his luck at opening the door. Cursing under his breath when it wouldn't budge, he kicked it with his foot and slumped back down to the ground.

"Fuck... Granger."

He closed his eyes and started running his fingers through his hair _._

 _I should never had taken you to that damn lake, this is all my fault._

Hearing Harry and Ron stand up, he opened his eyes and glanced over at them. He suddenly realized Ron's arm was in a sling and when he saw his nose was still bleeding, it gave Draco a small sense of satisfaction.

"Just what the hell are you looking at Malfoy." Ron was wiping the drop of blood that had now made its way down to his chin with his uninjured hand. "You don't even deserve to be standing in the same room as her, let alone have the right to call her your bloody girlfriend. Just hearing you say that makes me sick. What the hell is that all about? You want to fill us in on what has been going on?"

"Piss off Weasel, I don't owe you anything. You have no idea what's been going on between Granger and I and it's none of your goddamn business."

Harry decided to finally speak. "Well, why don't you try and tell us. The last time we heard anything about you or Hermione, you both were suppose to be headed to the Burrow until the Death Eaters, your father included by the way, came and tried to capture us. We almost didn't escape. Have you two been together this whole time?"

Draco had almost forgotten he had been told he was going to go live there until the safe house was ready. It seemed so long ago now that he was in McGonagall's office waiting to be taken there along with Hermione.

There was now tension growing between Draco and the other two-third of the golden trio as they sat in silence. Draco was in no mood to talk about his relationship with Hermione, especially not with them.

After a few minutes slowly dragged by, sounds of people entering the house were now coming from the first floor. All three of them turned to the stairs where the voices were now being carried up from.

"Who else is here?" Harry asked.

"Go see for yourself why don't you."

Harry scowled at Draco. "You're not coming?"

"You don't get it do you? I'm not leaving this spot Potter, not until that door opens and I can go see Granger."

Draco saw the look both Ron and Harry were giving him, as if trying to read what Draco's end game was or the real reason he cared so much about Hermione. When the sound of Luna's voice came up the steps though , he noticed Ron's head snap back to look at the stairs. He watched as the red head began making his way back down to the first floor.

Draco rolled his eyes. _Looks like Granger was right. Guess that shouldn't surprise me._

Looking at Harry, he asked "If you have something to say, just say it. I'm not in the mood to play fucking mind games here."

Still keeping his questions to himself, Harry began making his way to the steps to join Ron and the other new comers to the house. Before taking the first step though, he turned to look at Draco again and simply said "This conversation isn't over Malfoy."

Scoffing under his breath, Draco muttered "Piss off."

The hallway seemed eerily quiet again. He pressed his ear to the wall to see if he could hear anything that was going on in the next room, but there was nothing. He knew the witch probably had placed a silencing charm up as well which only made him more pissed off.

 _I should be in there, helping, doing something more than just sitting out here._

He threw another punch, but this time at the wall. One of the pictures that was hanging on it came crashing down, shattering glass everywhere. The pain in his knuckles continued to radiate up his arm.

Hearing footsteps coming up the stairs, he groaned as he turned his head to see who they belonged too. He wasn't surprised to see his cousin now making her way to the room, but he was surprised to see his mother right behind her.

"Is she in here?" Tonks asked.

Draco nodded. "They locked us out though. Good luck getting in."He watched as Tonks took out her wand and within a matter of seconds, he heard the door unlock.

As she opened the door, she said "I'm going to see if they could use my help." Turning to look at the slightly impressed wizard, she asked "Do you have any idea what they did to her? Anything you know could help."

Draco sat in silence. He had only heard the screams of sheer torture, but had no idea what had actually happened. Suddenly he head his mother answered.

"The Cruciatus curse, multiple times as well as Legilimency. Bella isn't the most skilled at it so she may have caused some damage when she was trying to navigate herself around. She also dropped Hermione on her head and spine a few times and kicked her repeatedly. " Narcissa looked ashamed as she spoke to her niece. "She also used one of her own spells to cut her skin open. Use the charm _suo_ to help stop the bleeding or else it will take you awhile to get it to quit."

Draco knew what his aunt did was bad, but hearing every specific detail on what she did made him want to be sick. He couldn't watch as the look of disgust became more and more apparent on his cousins face as his mother continued to talk. Once she was finally done, he heard Tonks slam the door and the disappointing sound of the door locking behind her.

Turning back to look at his mother, even though the light was minimal in the hallway, he finally had a chance to really notice just how bruised her own skin looked.

"Was it father?"

Narcissa folded her arms as she looked at her soon. "This isn't the time Draco."

"Don't lie to me, just tell me yes or no."

"You have to understand-"

"No. There's no more making excuses for him mother, not this time." Everything was piling up and he didn't know how much more he could take.

Sighing for her son, she reached out a hand to help him up. "Come down stairs Draco and have some tea. There's a lot you and I need to talk about."

He shook his head. "There's no way I'm leaving this spot. We can talk about everything once I know she is alright."

Narcissa knew he son well enough to know once he has made his mind up about something there was no changing it.

"Alright Draco, I'll leave you alone."

Thankful that his mother decided not to put her foot down on this, he asked "The owl, it was aunt Ande's that you used wasn't it?"

His mother smiled and nodded. "Like I said dear, there's a lot to talk about."

She turned and headed for the stairs. Draco listened as her footsteps made it back down to the first floor and he once again found himself alone in the hallway. Resting his head back against the wall, he closed his eyes to try and calm his nerves.

 _She's going to be alright, she has to be._

Repeating this to himself over and over again, he listened as the clock in the hallway began ticking away and hoped that if enough time had passed, everything would turn out ok.

* * *

He hadn't meant to fall asleep, but when his head shifted and he fell over on his side, his eyes snapped open. It took him a moment to realize exactly where he was, but when he finally remembered everything that had happened, he looked over at the door Hermione was behind. Reaching up to see if it was finally unlocked, his heart sank when it still wouldn't budge. Not knowing how much time had passed, he did notice that the sky outside the hallway window was still pitch black and at some point someone had covered him with a crocket blanket. The picture that had shattered was also repaired and was back to hanging where it had fallen from.

Rubbing his neck to try and work away some of the tension, he noticed how much quieter the downstairs was. There were no more voice traveling up to the second floor and the eerie silence was even more so. Pushing the blanket off of him, his heart leapt when he suddenly heard the sound of the door unlocking next to him.

Standing up faster than he should have, he felt slightly dizzy, but when he saw his aunt and the blonde haired witch step out from the room he pushed passed the needed to sit back down.

Bracing himself against the wall, he asked "Just tell me, how is she?"

Watching the blonde haired witch ignore him and continue on down the hallway, Tonks gave him a long sigh before answering. "She's still unconscious. We were able to finally stop all the bleeding thanks to your mother's suggestion, but she still hasn't come to yet."

His heart was beating so fast it was about ready to bust. "But she'll be alright won't she? She'll wake up."

Tonks chewed on the inside of her lips a few times before answering. "We will just have to see. She should eventually wake up, but the amount of swelling on her brain was a lot worse than what I was expecting and the damage your aunt did while trying to perform Legilimency didn't help."

Watching Draco's face turn to fear, she asked "Your mother tried to explain a little about yours and Hermione's relationship at my mother's house after you left. She said it wasn't her place to tell everything, but she did say you two care a good deal about each other now. I have to ask though, why? Why the sudden change? From everything I have ever heard about you and your family, you want muggle-borns like her dead. Why should I let you in to that room to see her?"

Draco's jaw clenched. He would be damned if he let her stop him from going in to that room, but he knew fighting his way in there was probably not the fasting way to do it. Trying his best to keep his temper under control, he knew what he had to say.

"Please just let me see her. You can judge me all you want and hate me and I'm sure nothing I say right now will convince you that I don't feel the way you think I feel about any of the stuff anymore... but I will say this."

He looked into his cousin's eyes and gave her the most serious look he could muster. "That women in there told me less than a day that she was falling in love with me and although she thought I was sleeping when she said it and didn't hear it, I actually did. That whole night, I stayed up trying to figure out what to do with that, what I should say back to her, how to tell her that I did hear what she said. When we both were finally awake, I wasn't able to tell her what I had finally understood and if I'm not able to go in there right now and tell her what I have been wanting to, I think it really will kill me."

Tonk's eyes went wide as she listened to Draco speak. When he was done, she simply asked "And what is it that you finally understand?"

Draco felt his lips twitch into a smile before answering. "Sorry, but Granger gets to hear it first."

Studying Draco for a minute before moving away from the door, she said "I'll give you a few minutes before I go and tell the boys they can see her. I know they will want to come check on her themselves."

Nodding to his cousin, he made his way into the room and closed the door behind him. The light from the moon was flooding the room and the sounds of the ocean were crashing against the glass window. Hermione was still laying in almost the exact same way Draco had saw her in before, but at least this time some color had returned to her cheeks and the sheets were no longer soaked in blood.

As he slowly made his way over to her, he hesitated for a moment before bringing his trembling fingers to her face and softly grazed it. Feeling her warmth hit his fingers, he finally allowed himself to breath. He continued his fingers up to her hair and slowly tucked her curls behind her ears.

He sat himself on the bed next to her, still lightly stroking her skin. He saw most of the cuts had now looked as if they had already started to heal and some of the shallower ones had already started to fade. Some of the bruises still looked pretty angry, but the one thing he did noticed that still looked fresh and ready to try and bleed again was what was carved into her left forearm.

It made his stomach churn just looking at it. There was some type of clear wrap on the wound to try and help promote healing, but it still looked as if it was planning on putting up a fight to try and stay open.

Needing to look away from it, he looked back up to her face. She looked peaceful, as if she was only sleeping and would wake up any moment now.

"I don't know if you can hear me Granger, but I know you're stronger than anything my aunt can throw your way."

Taking her hand in his, he gave it a small squeeze before continuing. "I'm so, so sorry Granger. I know it was my fault that we were caught. I never should have asked you to leave the cabin. I should have known my idea would have ended in disaster."

He paused before continuing. "I also should have told you I was awake the other night when you were talking to me... I heard what you said Granger and I won't lie to you, it definitely threw me. I've never really been good at talking about how I feel or showing my emotions really, but you, you wear your heart on your sleeve and you know exactly what you want. Sometime I envy that a little. I wish I would have told you sooner, like the moment I had woken you up to leave."

Thinking back to that morning, he smiled. "I don't know how you do it, but even when you first wake up, you look so incredibly beautiful and I really should tell you that more."

Pausing again, he really hoped if she heard anything from what he was saying, it was what came next. "Granger I'm in love with you. I could saying I'm falling in love with you too, but that'd just be a lie. There's no more room to fall, I'm completely in this and I think I've been here for awhile."

He watched her face for some type of recognition, telling him somehow, someway she heard him. However her eyes stayed closed and she continued to slowly breath in and out.

 _Maybe she heard me, maybe she didn't. That's fine. I can wait right here until she finally does wake up and if she didn't hear me, at least I know what I'll say to her when she does._

* * *

It had been almost two days since Draco had arrived at Shell Cottage and in those two days he had only left Hermione's side to either go to the bathroom, or when Harry and Ron demanded their own personal time with Hermione and even then he went kicking and screaming.

It had been during the first morning of his arrival when they forced him out of the room. When he went downstairs it was still early and everyone except his mother was still sleeping. It was during their conversation that his mother explained everything to him.

When her sister Andromeda married her husband, she had been forbidden to speak to her ever again. While agreeing to these terms, the two would secretly meet every so often when Narcissa was able to slip away unnoticed.

"Remember those times I would ask you to tell your father I was somewhere else? I was actually going to see your aunt."

It was all making sense to Draco the more his mother explained. Apparently, the past year or so, his aunt had been begging his mother to leave the Manor for good with Draco and that his aunt had told her she could hide her somewhere the Death Eaters wouldn't find them.

"I told your aunt I was in too deep, there was no way I could just up and leave. I know she meant well, but I don't think she could ever understand how hard it is to run from everything that we are messed up in."

She looked at her son adoringly. "But you did, you managed to do what I couldn't and I'm so proud of you Draco."

He hated that she said that. He felt like she had nothing to be proud about after leaving her alone in that house and had now harmed another person he loved.

"I know I should have probably left the moment I heard you had ran, but I also wanted to be close to any information on where you could be hiding. Once I knew where you were, I would take both of us to her house and then we could be safe together. Until I knew my son was safe though, there was no way I was going to leave. I had wondered how Severus knew where I would be and apparently there is still a lot I need to be caught up on regarding his role in everything, but I guess Ande had asked him to keep an eye on me a year ago when they were both at one of those meetings for the Order. I swear, that older sister side of her really comes out sometimes."

She told him though once Draco had decided to run, it became even harder to sneak off to see her sister which was why she was only able to send him the one letter. Finally after Draco had learned about his mother's secrets, he had been dying to ask her one question.

"So, you're not upset about me and Granger?"

His mother smiled at him. "I will say I was a bit... surprised when I saw your past few months together, but no, mad is not the word I would use to describe what I am. I saw my son the happiest I have seen him in awhile when you are with her and as a mother, that's all I want for you."

Breathing a sigh of relief, he nodded to her and made his way back upstairs and forced himself back into the room to at least sit in there in case she woke up. Still refusing to talk to either Harry or Ron, he did manage to run into Theo and Blaise that second night when hunger and thirst finally caught up to him.

Running into them in the kitchen, the three of them had a very loud conversation. It has started with Theo telling Draco how both his and Blaise's parents asked them to take the Dark Mark before returning to school. Both of their parents were Death Eaters and each knew they wouldn't take no for an answer.

"No offense mate, but we saw how fucked up it made you all last year and there was no way I was going to go through that myself." Theo laughed at his own joke.

"He's right though. I don't really care what happens or what the Dark Lord does, but there was no way I was going to be forced to do that shit myself." Blaise rubbed his unshaven jaw a few times. "So we both decided to book it the night of the initiation. "

"Pull a Draco if you will" Theo teased. "Of course, it's sort of funny how we ended up running together. Neither one of us knew the other was bailing until we ran into each other in one of the hallways, nearly gave me a heart attack when I saw it was him I ran into. After taking one look at each other though, we both knew what the other was doing."

Draco eyed his two friends. "Where did you go then?"

Grinning, Theo said "Well we didn't have some girl to shack up with for months, which by the way, kind of sucks that you had that option and we didn't."

"Not, funny Theo. I already explained to you that Granger and I are more than just a few quick shags for me."

"Yeah, I'm still a little lost on that. Can you please explain that to me again. I know you said you've changed and yada, yada, but it just doesn't add up for me. You hated Hermione, told not only her, but us included how you hated Mud-bloods like her-"

" I told you to never use that word Nott!" Draco had risen from his seat and was staring down his friend who was smiling at the rise he received from Draco.

"Alright, alright just sit back down. I still have to tell you how we ended up in your basement. By the way, it definitely has a different feel to it when you're being held prisoner for real and not just when we played around as kids."

Blaise was also becoming annoyed at Theo's antics. "Merlin, I'll just finish this story. About a week later after being on the run, we didn't know they had set a new time for curfew and someone just had to go out at night looking for something to eat and in no time we were over taken by some snatchers who recognized us as your friends and took us to the Manor. They tried to integrate us, but after they used truth serum on us they had no more use for us. They were about to ship us to Azkaban when you decided to grace us with your presence and then you know the rest."

Draco did know the rest, every last detail of what happened at the Manor after he and Hermione had arrived.

"So, are you going to tell us what you mean by you being the one to back out of killing Dumbledore?" Another smile spread on Theo's face.

"Go to hell Nott, I already told you I'm not talking about that and I suggest you drop that question."

Standing back up to leave, Theo groaned in annoyance. "Man, can't have any fun with you tonight can I? Where you going, we still have so much to catch up on! I can braid your hair and we can eat all the ice cream you want.."

"Night Theo." Draco rounded the corner and made his way back to Hermione's room.

Once there, he had returned to the same chair he had been sitting in for two days now with Harry asleep opposite him in the other chair. Both he and Ron were taking turns being with Hermione in case she woke and wanted one of the to be there with her when she did.

Ron had also told Draco "I don't want your face being the first thing she sees when she wakes up"

Having not slept in almost two days, Draco was fighting exhaustion as best as he could but he eventually gave in. Sometime during the night, a small clap of thunder woke him from a deep slumber. Blinking his eyes a few times, it took him a moment to realize what he was looking at.

Hermione was sitting up in bed, staring at her arm with the word _Mudblood_ sliced into it. Tears were pouring down her cheeks and even though it looked like she wanted to scream, something was trapping them inside.

Standing to go over to her, Draco was about to speak when Hermione looked at him.

"Malfoy, why are you here? Why am I here for that matter and.. just... what the hell is going on?"

Draco's words were lost on him. All he wanted to do was to hug her, to tell her how relieved he was that she was finally awake, but there was something wrong. She wasn't looking at him the same way he was looking at her.

 _And she called me Malfoy..._.

And that's when it hit him.

"Granger, what's the last thing you remember?"

Her lips were trembling as she spoke. "I was... on my way to see Professor McGonagall. You were there... and she was telling us we were going to be headed to the Burrow and then there was a crash in the school somewhere... did something happen to me there? Why can't I remember anything?"

Draco's heart broke into a million pieces.

 _She doesn't remember me, us, anything. She doesn't remember her parents._

Harry must have heard Hermione's soft sobs and instantly woke up. Grabbing his friends hand, he asked "Hermione, how are you, how do you feel?"

Hermione's soft sobs slowly became inconsolable cries and she buried her head into her best friends chest. Harry looked over to Draco who was now finding it very difficult to stand.

The whole house was dark, but he managed to stumble his way down the stairs and out the front door. Rain had now joined the thunder which was quickly followed by lightning. The cold, heavy drops hit his face as he continued walking down the bluff and ended at the beach. He was now standing in the chilly waters of the oceans, but he needed something to help shock him back to the present.

Collapsing to his knees, he finally allowed himself to release everything he had been holding back into the darkness that was now surrounding him. He had known she may have had muscle damage, nerve damage, but he never thought about brain damage. Or at least to the point where she wouldn't remember him. At that moment, even he couldn't tell if he his face was wet because of the rain and waves, or from the tears that he now allowed himself to be free.

* * *

Note: Holy long chapter! This is my longest to date. I did just broke my own heart writing this one, but it had to happen :( I hope you all enjoyed it though!

Sorry I am a day later than I said I would be, work once again has been keeping me busy. Lucky for me though, I am going on a vacation soon! Bad news is that it may take me closer to two weeks for the next chapter... please don't hate me! I will try my hardest to write while I'm away, but it may be difficult to do. (also, next chapter I will get into how Harry and Ron ended up at the cottage, there just wasn't room this chapter!)

Thank you for all the new favorites and follows! You all make me so happy :)

Side note - the word suo that I used means "to stitch/sew"

Well.. the birds are once again up as I am getting ready to go to bed but I find that to be peaceful to fall asleep to

Happy beginning of June! (am I the only one who can't believe it's already June? Summer goes bye way too fast)

- _Toujours._


	21. Chapter 21: Hope

**Wounded**

Chapter 21: Hope

The dark, murky sky continued to bring with it sheets of rain that lashed against Draco's chilled skin. Seconds had turned to minutes, which was now pushing over an hour. Even though the wind was howling in his ears, the heart shattering cries of Hermione still made their way through her open window and out to sea. Although Draco had stumbled out of the water and onto the shore where he now sat, the ocean's sea salt waves were still able to land on his tongue leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. The air was thick with fog that had rolled in onto the shores now, only blurring his vision even more.

It took Draco a few moments to realize someone was now calling out his name. He didn't turn his head to see who the voice was coming from, he only kept his gaze out into the storm that promised nothing but heartache.

"Damn it Draco, I know you can hear me." Theo was now standing only a few feet behind him. "Making me come all the way out here in this shit storm.. bloody hell, just get up and come inside."

Draco didn't move. He only continued to watch the waves crash into the sand before making their journey back out to sea.

Even though he had only been outside for a few minutes, Theo was now soaked to the bone. Annoyed that Draco refused to listen to him, he overtly cleared his throat before speaking again.

"Why aren't you in there? After all the fuss you made about needing to be with her, I'm surprised you let those two dimwits she calls friends kick you out. I suspected you to have been the one to do the throwing out of her room when she finally woke up, but here I find you not by her side-"

"She doesn't remember." Draco whispered.

Raising his eyebrow, Theo asked "What did you say?"

Slightly turning his face away from his friend, he replied "She doesn't remember me, us, any of what has happened the last few months." Closing his eyes, he continued to say "She doesn't even remember what happened to.." but he stopped himself. He didn't think it was right for Theo to know what happened to her parents when she herself didn't now even remember.

Thinking Draco was going to finish his sentence, Theo waiting before finally asking "Remember what?"

"Nothing. " Draco shook his head. "I just can't believe she has no memory of anything. What the hell do I do?"

Theo still didn't quite understand the extent of his and Hermione's relationship, but from seeing Draco never leave her side for the past two days and barely allowing himself to sleep, he knew one thing was for sure. The Draco he had known before he had ran was long gone.

"Look mate, I'm sure it's just temporary. I mean you're acting like the world is ending or something. There's bigger problems right now-"

Draco slammed his fists into the dense, wet sand causing a harsh thud to cut through the howling winds. Snapping his head around to look at Theo, he gritted his teeth."Shut the hell up Nott! You have no idea what you're talking about."

"Then fucking explain it to me!" Theo threw his arms in the air in frustration. " I understand that you like her, and you two have some type of weird 'forbidden' relationship going on here, but come on Draco. Either tell me what has been going on these past few months, I mean _really_ been going on between you two, or get a grip on reality and realize that there are worse problems in this world than having some girl forget about a few shags you shared together."

Draco stood up so quickly Theo never saw it coming. The wizard barely had time to take a step back before Draco had grabbed a fist full of his shirt and he was now standing face to face with a man who looked as if he was going to punch him right in the nose.

"You want to tell me that my world isn't ending?" With his free hand Draco pointed towards Hermione's window. "That girl in there _is_ my world. She has been the only thing that has made any fucking sense to me these past few months and her not remembering a single minute of it only means that everything we have shared together is bloody gone. Knowing she's in there in pain, confused and having no idea why the hell she is beat to shit is killing me because I can't be the one there to comfort her. She probably thinks of me as the same prick who calls her that horrible, bloody name that has been carved into her arm still!"

Draco's body was shaking in rage. He was glad it was still storming because he once again couldn't tell if his face was damp from rain or tears that dared to escape again.

"What the hell is the point of caring about any of this shit if she thinks that I'm just the guy who makes her life hell?"

Dawn was now slowly approaching and the storm clouds above twisted and turned, blocking any rays of sun that might have been trying to peek through. The only light that was illuminating the scene was shining through the glass windows of the house. It was dim, but it was enough for Draco to see a small smirk creep across Theo's face.

Confused by it, Draco clenched his fists a little tighter around his shirt and asked "What the hell are you smiling about Nott? Do you think this situation is _fucking_ funny?"

"Not at all" he said. "What I do find funny though is that even though you're views have clearly changed since I last saw you and you are definitely not the same person who used to preach about blood-purity and all that bullshit, when it comes to getting you to actually talk to me about what's going on in that fucked up brain of yours, all I have to do still is push the right button and that annoying filter you love so much drops pretty quickly."

Furrowing his brow, Draco stared at Theo for a moment before finally letting go of his collar and giving him a small shove. "Fuck you Nott."

"It's true though. Remember how I found out about you and that fifth year Slytherin after the New Year? You were all bent out of shape, snapping at everything I said. Come to find out with a little provoking that she dumped your ass instead of you dumping hers."

Snickering, he added "Of course I also did find out what you two did on my bed which you had decided to graciously tell me since I had pissed you off."

Draco rolled his eyes as his friend laughed at his own comment. "Don't pretend like you didn't preach about the same shit I did."

"Of course I did! You know my father and who he is, what he is. There's no way I could have survived in that house and not behave the way I did. He was a Death Eater from day one, you really think if I had told him I think everything he was doing was bat shit crazy would have gone over so well? Not to mention you didn't help matters. You may be my best mate Draco, but I know better when and when not to disagree with you. I could live with the fact that I had parents who believed in that shit, but when they told me I would have to become one of them, there was no way I could stick around for that."

Draco was trying to processes everything he was hearing. He was starting to feel a little jealous of his friend in the sense that Theo had realized that the values they were both brought up on were fucked and he had the clarity to see that early in life.

Sighing, Theo said "Look, I'm not really one for this whole 'serious' sort of talks, they bring me down too much. I guess it is just throwing me to hear you talk like this. It's not the Draco I'm used to."

"Well you better start getting use to it, and fast. I don't need you questioning everything I do now. Has Blaise felt like this too all these years?"

Theo shrugged. "It doesn't seem like it. He seems pretty indifferent I guess, but the one thing I know we both agree on is that we both refuse to be someone's puppet and be the one's doing all the dirty work ."

Draco began to run the back of his neck as he thought about everything Theo had just said. As silence began to fall between them, he realized that something was different in the air. The cries that had been mixed in with the relentless winds were now gone and all that was left was the low hum of the breeze.

Turning to look up at Hermione's bedroom window, Draco saw the light that had once been on was now gone. Without hesitation, he began to run towards the house. Hearing Theo call after him, sounding annoyed that he had taken off so quickly, he ignored his question on where he was going and made his way up the sandy hill and towards the front door of the house. Once there, he made his way through the doorway to find Harry, Ron and Luna sitting once again at the table.

"What the hell happened, is she alright?"

Draco was directing his question to Harry, knowing he'd have better luck at getting an answer from him rather than Ron, but it was of course he who answered Draco's question.

"Why the hell should we tell you? Where have you been this past hour? Clearly not helping the person who you claim to be your girlfriend and helping explain to her why her body looks the way it does or why she can't remember anything. You know, all because of what your aunt put her through."

Draco ignored him and asked Harry again. "How is she Potter, just fucking tell me already."

Harry stared at Draco, unsure of how to exactly answer.

"Don't tell him Harry, he doesn't give a damn about her or else he would have been the one up there calming her down and explaining to her why her arm looks the way it does."

"I swear to Salazar Weasel, keep your mouth shut or I will be glad to do it for you."

"I'd like to see you try! By the look of your bruised hand I don't think I have anything to worry about. Nice black eye by the way, I've been meaning to ask you who gave it to you. I want to send the person whoever did that a thank you card for doing what I have dreamed of doing for years."

In an almost placid voice, Luna chimed in. "Oh I can tell you who to send the card to. Draco had actually disarmed Professor Snape quite well, but unfortunately for Draco Snape was too quick and hit him right in the eye. Made the most horrible sound, gives me chills just thinking about it."

She turned to look at the blonde wizard who was quickly becoming more agitated when she said "You're soaking wet, I should have offered you some tea, would you like any?"

As Ron started to laugh uncontrollably, he was able to say "Bloody hell, I would pay every last knut I had to see that!"

Taking a step towards Ron, Draco clenched his fists. "Come on Weasel, we both know your family couldn't afford you giving up even one knut, let alone-"

"She doesn't remember you, at all. She was confused why you were even in her room to begin with." Harry's words made the whole room go silent. The uncomfortable silence that now hung in the air was quickly disturbed by the front door slamming open. Seeing everyone slightly jump in their seats, Draco kept his gaze on Harry, already knowing who was now standing behind him.

"What the hell Draco, what got into you?"

Seeing what he had just walked in to, Theo grinned and began feeding off of the animosity in the room.

"I see you all decided to have a party here. Pretty poor taste in not inviting me though I must say. Oh and look! Seems like we have another uninvited guest with us."

Draco groaned as he watched Blaise descend down the staircase. Mumbling to himself, he said "Fucking fantastic, just what we needed."

As Blaise took the last step into the kitchen, he leaned against the door frame before speaking. "I thought I heard a commotion down here." Looking from Harry to Draco, he said "Well this just isn't fair. Why wasn't I invited to this gathering? You know I hate missing when these two go at each other."

Theo laughed. "That's exactly what I said!"

"Shut it Nott!" Draco had past impatience and was now becoming livid. Shooting his friend a stern look, he watched as Theo rolled his eyes at him, but was glad he seemed to have gotten the hint. Bringing his attention back to Harry, he forced himself to stay as calm as possible when he spoke.

"I'm not going to ask again nicely Potter, how is she?" His jaw clenched as he waited for his answer.

Harry's eyes narrowed, as if studying Draco for a moment. Knowing he would have better luck at talking to Draco about the hundreds of questions on his mind, he decided to say "Not good Malfoy. She's scared and confused, and she doesn't seem to remember anything that has happened over the last few months, but Fleur finally was able to convince her to take some Sleeping Draught to help calm her down. She was insisting that she had to go and make sure her parents received some letter she had sent, but luckily we assured her that we would have Tonks look into it when she gets here."

Draco slightly shuddered at his words, but hid it well enough. _Shit. shit shit shit. How the hell am I going to tell them?_

Harry gripped his tea cup a little harder, but didn't raise it to take sip. Still keeping his eyes on Draco, he was making sure to watch every moment he made to try and figure out everything he could from him.

"So since Hermione can't seem to remember anything, do you want to fill us in on how you two ended up at your parent's house?"

"Fuck off Potter, I don't owe you anything. I'll just wait until she's awake and then-"

"If you think we are going to let you anywhere near her, you're bloody insane Malfoy."

Draco watched as Ron stood from his seat. He noticed he held his arm that was in the sling, almost trying to stabilize it, but he still seemed to wince. Wanting to know where the hell they had been the past few months, he decided to refrain from asking, knowing that he would probably get just as far as they were getting with asking him.

"I don't need your permission to talk to her Weasel, and I would love for you to try and stop me. Maybe I can make your arm a matching set. I didn't think you could be any more useless than you already were, but good job at surprising me."

"You fucking prick. You have to know Harry and I aren't going to just let you talk to her. She's not going to want to see you. Hermione has already asked what the hell you were doing here. If you think we would let the person who actually enjoys making her life hell anywhere near her, you must be insane."

Draco was clenching his fists so hard, the pain that was radiating up his arm from his knuckles made every nerve fiber feel as if it were on fire. He knew she didn't remember him, and that was hard enough. Hearing Ron saying it though, almost sounding smug about it just made it so much worse.

Harry sighed and finally loosened his grip on his mug. Pressing two fingers between his eyes and rubbing up and down, he said "Why don't you just tell us what happened Malfoy. Give us something. If not to help your cause, maybe give us something that we could tell Hermione to help her out. Maybe if you give us something and Tonks can reassure her when she finds out where her parents are, it can make all of this a little easier-"

"They're dead Potter. Her parent were fucking murdered in their own home and she was the one who not only found their bodies, but had to be the one to bury them. There is no happy ending here, no making anything easier for anyone because everything is just fucked!"

The room went uncomfortably silent again with all eyes now on Draco. While he instantly regretted saying what he did, he knew it was going to have to be said eventually. Tonks wouldn't have been able to track them down and Hermione would only worry herself more. However the looks he was getting from everywhere right now told him he probably could have said the information a little less brash.

Hearing a low whistle coming from Theo, Draco knew whatever he said next wasn't going to help the situation.

"Well shit... you're just a ray of sunshine aren't you?" Theo had sat himself on top of the kitchen counter now, his legs dangling over the edge with his elbows propping his head up.

"I swear to Salazar Nott, one more word from you and-"

"How do you know?" Harry had now joined Ron in standing. His face was flooded with concern as he shifted himself from behind the table.

"Because I was with her when she found them Potter. Unlike you two, I was there for her when she needed someone."

"Bullshit Malfoy, there's no way she would have let you come with her, especially to her parent's house!" Ron's face was turning redder by the second.

"Believe me or don't, I really don't care, but it's the truth. Have my cousin look all she wants, but unless she looks in the backyard under the willow tree where Granger buried them she isn't going to find anything."

Draco caught the look Theo and Blaise were giving each other. It seemed like they were both wondering if they should leave this conversation, but clearly their love of juicy gossip told them they needed to stay no matter how uncomfortable they felt.

Taking a deep breath, Draco said "What's important is figuring out how we are going to tell her."

"Are you serious?" Ron was still looking shocked as he spoke. "We can't tell her. If she finds out her parents are both dead it will destroy her even more. She has to focus on getting better."

A little taken aback by his word, Draco furrowed his brow. "We have to tell her, we can't just keep this from her. She has already asked about them, she has a right to know. Give her a little credit, she's stronger than you're making her out to be."

"Don't you dare talk to me about Hermione like you know her better than we do! I know she's strong, she is the strongest witch I know! If we tell her though, it will crush her and she needs to focus on getting better. I don't think you really understand how much your aunt fucked her up Malfoy. Broken ribs, blood loss, the amount of physical and mental damage she inflicted on Hermione should make you ashamed to be in that family."

"It does." Draco said it before thinking, but it gave him a little satisfaction seeing the stunned look on Ron's face. "She may be family in the sense we share the same blood, but that's where the definition stops. They aren't my family anymore, and it makes me sick just thinking about what Granger has went through."

Finally finding his words again, Ron said "Talk all you want about how you apparently give a shit about her, but you're not going to convince us that you're somehow this 'changed' person who gives a damn." Looking at Harry, he added "You agree with me right? There's no way we can let him see Hermione or tell her about her parents, not yet at least."

Harry had kept quiet for a reason. He was trying to process everything he was hearing and he was too exhausted to fully do so. Messing with his hair on the back of his head, he said "I do think you should leave her alone, at least for now, but maybe you should stop being so stubborn and just tell us everything that has happened between the two of you."

"If you actually think I'm going to listen to either of you two, then you're insane. I'm done with this I'm going to bed."

Draco had had enough of the two of them telling him what he can and should do. He walked towards the stairs where Blaise quickly moved out of his way. Just as he was about to take the first step up, he stopped.

"I know you think you're doing Granger a favor by not telling her about her parents, but you're not. She can handle it and she has a right to know. I would think her two supposed best friends would understand that."

Hearing Ron scoff, he ignored his next comment and started to make his way up the stairs. Unclenching his fists, he shook out his injured hand hoping to make the dull burn go away. Reaching the top of the landing, even though the storm had let up, darkness still filled most of the house and he almost ran into the person who was standing there.

Putting his hand out on the banister to help steady himself, he was about to tell whoever was standing there to 'pick a better spot to eavesdrop' when he realized who it was.

Sighing, he said "I should have known you would need your fix of gossip too. How long have you been standing there?"

Narcissa frowned at her son. "Long enough to know that Hermione doesn't remember you or her parent's death. I heard her crying awhile ago. I figured it was because of how she looked, but I never imagined she wouldn't remember anything. How are you doing?"

"Fine" he simply said not wanting to talk about it anymore. He wanted to be alone, to be able to think and figure out what he was going to do. However his mother was giving him the look only a mother could give which told him lying to her was futile.

Rolling his eyes, he said "How do you think I'm doing? She has no idea what has happened between us. What if she never remembers? What the hell am I going to do?"

His mother remained quiet as her son began to vent everything that had been weighing him down.

"After everything aunt Bella did to her, even if she does remember us she'll probably want nothing to do with me."

Confused at Draco's words, she asked "Why do you say that?"

"Because it's all my fault! I was the one who brought her to that spot, I should have stunned Parkinson the moment I saw her. I knew nothing good would have come from talking to her. I should have never been involved with her in the first place and.."

He turned his head away from his mother. "She will want nothing to do with me once she remembers it was my family that caused her pain. I can't really blame her though."

Knowing all of her son's fears were eating away at him, she grabbed his chin and pulled his face back to look at her.

"Listen to me. I saw what you two had together and that just doesn't disappear. Memories likes those don't just live in the brain darling, they also live in the heart." She let go of his face. "You're just going to have to help her remember them is all."

"Doesn't really seem like Potter and Weasel are going to let me anywhere near her."

"Oh please Draco. You and I both know that you're not going to listen to those two and it's a little insulting that you would even use that as an excuse with me."

Draco folded his arms and leaned against the wall. "And how do you suggest I do that? She thinks I'm still the same prick that made her life miserable."

"And are you?"

"Of course not."

"Well show her that. There's a good place to start." Narcissa reached into her robe and pulled out Hermione's beaded bag. "You could also be the one to give this back to her."

Draco's eyes widened as he watched his mother hand him the purple purse. Suddenly remembering something, he took it from her and began digging through its contents.

Already knowing what her son was looking for, she said "It's not in there Draco, I already had that idea."

Seeing the hope drain from Draco's face, she said "I too also thought about the map and notes that I had seen you two make together, but back at the Manor, the snatcher I had to stun to get the purse back had already taken them out and was looking at them. I didn't have time to grab them all and put them back in so I just used a charm to erase them all back to blank pieces of parchment. I'm so sorry Draco."

He wanted to be mad at his mother, just so he could be mad at something, but he couldn't. It wasn't her fault that everything they had worked together on was now gone. His mother had been the one to save not only him, but everyone from the prison cell.

"I'm sure you'll think of another way to help her remember. You're a very clever boy Draco. It's one of the few traits I'm glad you received from my side of the family."

His mother smiled when she saw Draco slightly grin. "Try giving her the bag back. Maybe it will spark some sort of memory for her. She will at least be glad she hasn't lost it and may even think better of you for returning it."

"Or she'll think I was the one who took it in the first place. Seems like something I would have done in the past."

"The past is the past for a reason Draco, you can't change that. Don't get stuck there though, focus on the future and how you can change that."

Rubbing his tired face, he knew he needed to go lay down. "Thanks for giving me her bag. I'm going to head to my room now though."

He felt his mother give a small squeeze of comfort to his arm before she began to make her way down the stairs.

"I wouldn't go down there. I left two Slytherin's down there with that group. Who knows what trouble they have started."

Narcissa smiled. "I'm just going to grab a glass of water dear. Anything I may or may not hear is purely by accident."

He laughed. "You're worse than Theo and Blaise. Night mother."

As he left the landing, he started to make his way down the hall towards his room when he noticed the door leading into Hermione's bedroom was slightly cracked open. Stopping in front of it, he stood there for a moment, hesitating on the question on whether or not he should go in.

Better judgment told him not to, but he was one who usually ignored these judgments and did what he wanted regardless. Slowing, he placed a hand on the door and pushed it open, just enough to where he was able to slip in. Once inside, the grey morning light was just starting to seep in, illuminating the room. Draco stood there for a moment, just watching as Hermione's chest slowly rose and then fell. She looked peaceful to him, exactly how she always did when he had seen her sleep but something was off. He just couldn't put his finger on it.

After another moment by the door, Draco finally started to walk towards her. Reaching the edge of the bed, he almost instinctively reached out to brush the stray curl that laid across her cheek. Just before touching it he stopped himself, his fingers hovering just above her face.

 _What the hell are you doing, you shouldn't be in here. If she wakes up and sees you, she'll probably just scream again and you'll make her even more upset._

He continued to hold his hand still though, noticing for the first time just how bruised and swollen his knuckles really were now. Watching as his hand began to shake, he decided against tucking her curl and lowered his hand back down to his side.

Closing his eyes, he could feel his insides turning with panic. In an almost whisper, he said "How am I going to make you remember me Granger?"

Slowly opening his eyes, he looked down at her bag he was still clutching in his other hand.

 _Maybe I should just leave this here for you. At least if you saw that you still have your bag it may bring you some happiness._

Lifting the bag, he placed it on the side table, but kept his grip on it. He was telling himself to let it go, but thinking about the possibility of being the one to return it to her in the hopes of her remembering something was making him hesitate.

 _A stupid bag isn't going to make her remember you. There's no way._

Still unable to let it go though, he cursed under his breath and decided to take it with him. Even if it was a slim chance, he knew he still had to take it. Turning to leave the room, he decided to look back one more time at the slumbering witch. Suddenly, he realized what was different. Although her cheeks were flush with color again, and the pale complexion she first had when she first arrived at the cottage was gone, the blush color they now bore was off. The warmth that had always radiated from her was gone and it caused his heart to ache.

Feeling the pain of guilt creep back in, he finally turned and made his way back into the empty hallway and to his room. Shutting the door, he made his way to his own bed, dropping the bag on the floor, and spread himself across it without undressing.

The grey morning skies outside only allowed a dim light to be casted into his room. Staring up at the ceiling, he listened to the howling winds still raging on outside. He could still taste salt on his tongue and his damp clothes clung to his cold skin. A thin layer of salt, sweat and tears laid across his face as he reached up with his hand to try and rub some of it away. After being unsuccessful at removing it, he fingered through his hair a few times before placing his arm back on to the bed in a defeated thud.

As his thoughts began turning in his heads like the waves were doing outside, he began to feel just how cold and empty his room actually felt. This had been the first night away from Hermione, and although they had only started falling asleep next to each other a few months ago, it felt so very wrong.

The monster that he finally had been able to tame had now started to creep through the newly formed cracks. Fear was now winning the battle that had started to rage inside of him and there was no winning this time.

 _What if she doesn't ever remember me, us? What then? There's no way I could ever go back to how we were before. Her thinking of me as nothing more than the prick who made her life a living hell... that just can't happen._

Draco rolled onto his side, listening to the bed shift and creak under the weight. He could feel the cool draft from the window hit his face which sent a shiver down his spine. His body ached and his mind was past the point of exhaustion, but he knew there was no way he would find sleep tonight, not without Hermione next to him.

* * *

Hermione's mouth felt like she had swallowed sand as she began to open her eyes. Her parched throat and swollen eyes made it difficult for her to see or call out for anyone. When her vision became less blurry, the room she was in was unfamiliar. It wasn't until she tried to move when a sharp pain in her side reminded her of what had happened.

She had been distraught, to the point where she couldn't breathe from hyperventilating so much. Not only couldn't she remember how she had ended up in this room, but her body was cut and bruised to the point where every move she made caused only more pain and more tears to fall down her face. The events of what happened were coming back to her now as she felt fresh tears begin welling up at the corners of her eyes.

Keeping her gaze forward as she tried to prop herself up in bed, she reached her right hand over and placed it on her forearm. Once she felt the bandage hit her fingertips, she knew it was real. Every single thing, including knowing what lay underneath that material. Feeling her cheeks flush with panic, she jumped when she heard the door creak open.

"Hermione, I'm so glad you're up. You've been asleep for almost three days now. I was starting to worry they slipped you a little too much Sleeping Draught." Tonks smiled as she neared Hermione's bed. "I knew if I went to the bathroom, the moment I left you'd wake up - Whoa, hey!"

Hermione had flung herself into a hug the moment Tonks had sat herself on the side of the bed. Even though every cell in her body was screaming in pain and telling her to stop, she continued to hug her friend.

"Hermione, you have to take it easy, you're still recovering." Laughing as she felt Hermione hug tighter, she said "Not to say I'm not glad to see you as well, but we have to be careful." Returning the hug as carefully as she could, Tonks could feel Hermione's hot tears fall on her skin.

Pulling Hermione back so she could look at her, she said "I know you must have a million questions, and I'll do my best to answer them, but everything I know is only from what I have heard from others."

The pink haired witched brushed a few of Hermione's curls behind her ears, wiping away a stray tear as she did. "I'm so sorry this happened to you. How are you feeling right now?"

Hermione leaned back against the bed's headboard and tried to steady her words. "Honestly, I feel like I was run over by the Hogwart's Express."

The two witches slightly chuckled under their breaths. Grabbing her side, Hermione said "Looks like even laughing hurts right now."

Giving her a weak smile, Tonks said "Are you still not able to remember anything?"

Shaking her head, she replied "No, not really. Everything is just really hazy. I remember going to Professor McGonagall's office... and then I remember discussing with her about Professor Dumbledore and how I was to go to the Burrow.. Draco I think was there and she was explaining to us how he would also be staying there as well until the safe house was ready and then all of a sudden there was something going on in the castle and then that's where the memories stop."

She looked over to her friend. "I can remember waking up here the other night too. It's also a little fuzzy, but I remember trying to get Ron and Harry to tell me what happened to me. Speaking of those two, where are they?"

Tonks shifted her weight on the bed as she set her hands in her lap. "They are both sleeping right now. Don't tell them I told you this, but they had been by your side ever since you arrived and they refused to sleep until you woke. I told them I would watch over you and come get them if you woke, but stubborn as usually they wouldn't listen." _Along with a certain other stubborn, blonde haired wizard who refuses to sleep_.

The witch held back a smirk as she continued. "So I may have slipped a little Sleeping Draught in their tea I had given them, just enough so they could get a few hours of sleep. They both looked like hell, they needed some rest."

Hermione laughed. "I'm glad they were finally able to get some sleep."

"I'm sure once they are up they will be the first ones to come and visit you."

Nodding, Hermione closed her eyes. Even though she had slept for days, she still felt completely exhausted. Her bones had been mended and her cuts had been healed, but the toll she had went through still left her body bruised and worn. She was trying to remember anything she could about what had happened since leaving McGonagall's office, but the harder she tried, the fuzzier her brain felt and it only upset her more.

Tonks could see that Hermione was becoming frustrated. "I think I have something that might cheer you up."

Opening her eyes, she watched as Tonks pulled a bag from her robes. Her eyes grew twice the normal size as she took her purple handbag from the witch.

"Where did you get this?"

Tonks gave her a half hearted smile, wishing she could tell Hermione the real answer. A few hours prior, she had handed Harry and Ron their tea and was making her way up to Draco's room with another cup of tea in hand. Once she had reached the landing, she was surprised to see Draco leaving Hermione's bag in front of her door.

"What are you going?"

Draco nearly jumped at his cousin's voice. "For fuck sake, make some noise when you walk or something."

"If I did that, I wouldn't be very good at my job would I?"

Rolling his eyes, he started to go back to his room when he heard Tonks speak out again.

"Isn't that Hermione's bag? I would have assumed you would have wanted to give it to her yourself when she wakes up."

Stopping a few feet from his door, he shook his head. "What's the point? She's not going to remember me. If I give her the bag, she'll probably think I messed with it or something. She doesn't trust me anymore, she's not going to want to have anything to do with me. She should at least have one thing back in her life that can make her happy."

Tonks furrowed her brow as she set the cup of tea on a table that lined the hallway. "Well that's just bullshit right there."

Draco turned to look at her. "Excuse me?"

Taking a step towards Draco, she said "You've been locked up in that room now for days. I know you haven't been eating or sleeping. I can hear you pacing around in there, walking the halls late at night. I've left food out in the kitchen after everyone has gone to bed, hoping I would come downstairs to find some missing in the morning, but it never is. You look bloody miserable, and it's all because Hermione doesn't remember you. You're scared that she will never get her memories back, and everything you said to me that night, or even implied, you will never get the chance to say to her."

Clenching his jaw, he remained rooted to the ground. He hated everything he was hearing, but even though he knew she was right, he wasn't going to admit that.

"For someone who seemed to be in love with her, you're giving up pretty easily." She knew she hit a chord with that comment by the way he was now glaring at her.

"Not that it is any of your business, but I haven't given up. I just don't think a stupid, fucking bag is going to do anything-"

"Well it's worth a shot isn't it? "

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I fucking said so."

"Well that's a real mature answer isn't it."

Draco scoffed. His temper was boiling over, but he was trying to keep it together. Turning and placing a hand on the doorknob, he turned and pushed it open when his cousin spoke again.

"Come on Draco, just take the bag with you and be the one who-"

"NO!" Draco's fist slammed into the door frame. "You can be the one to give her the bag. If I do it, she's not going to remember anything about our time together. She'll look at me like she did when she was in school. I'm just the person who made her life hell and has the aunt who tortured her until she almost died."

He closed his swollen eyes, refusing to let anything escape them again. "I just... I don't think I can stand to have her look at me like that. At least not right now. To have her look at me and not see me for who I am now, for what we use to mean to each other, I just can't do it."

Tonks stood in the dimly lit hallway lost for words. The wizard who stood in front of her looked as if he too hadn't slept in days and his red eyes and mussed hair made him look like he had been dragged through hell and back.

"You may regret not being the one who gives her the bag. You never know what could spark a memory to come back."

"I'm sure if you don't want to give it to her, one of the two idiots downstairs will. I know they don't want me anywhere near her."

"Maybe if you just talked to them about everything that has happened-"

"I'm going back to my room now. Night-"

"Wait, Draco. There's something else I have to ask you."

Draco didn't turn back to look at Tonks, but he did remain in the doorframe.

"I need to ask you a question, something about what Harry and Ron told me... about Hermione's parents. Is it really true, were they murdered?"

Slowly nodding, he said "Yes, and she was the one who found their bodies. It was Fenrir who did the murdering, but Dolohov was there as well. We have to tell her, we can't keep this from her."

Tonks' eyes began filling with tears, but she nodded in agreement. "No, I agree. We are just going to have to figure out how and when. When she wakes, she's going to still be pretty out of it, but we will have to figure it out."

She looked over at the cup of stepping tea. "Will you at least take this? It may help you relax a little."

Draco cocked his head to see the mug. "Do you really think I'm that stupid? I know better than to take anything from you right now."

Tonks laughed. "It was worth a try."

She watched as the blonde wizard disappeared back into his room. Turning to bring the tea back down to the kitchen where she knew she'd now find two sleeping wizards, she looked down at the purple bag in front of Hermione's door. Picking it up, she sighed and took it with her.

Having taken too long to respond to Hermione's question, she heard the witch ask another.

"Tonks, are you alright? You look a little lost in thought."

Smiling, she said "Yeah, sorry I did get a little lost there didn't I? I guess that's to be expected now that I'm pregnant-"

Both the two witches were now staring at each other. While one looked mortified she had let the information slip, the other looked as if she was about to burst with joy.

"Tonks, you're pregnant? That's such amazing news!" Hermione flung herself back into a hug. Squeezing her as tight as her body was allowing her, she asked "What's with the look though? You seem like this isn't such wonderful news."

Giving Hermione another hug, Tonks sighed. "Don't get me wrong, I couldn't be happier. It's just that, well let's just say everyone we have told so far hasn't reacted like you have. In fact you're only one of a few people who do know so far. I'd be really appreciative if you could keep it a secret right now."

Hermione was confused. "Of course I will, but why are people not excited about this?"

"It's complicated, but-"

Just then, the door to Hermione's room flew open, causing both witches to jump. Turning to look, Hermione watched as a still half asleep Harry and Ron stumbled into the room.

"We thought we heard you two talking up here! Tonks, you promised you'd come get us when she was awake!" Ron came over and sat himself down on the other side of the bed from Tonks, going in to give Hermione a long overdue hug.

Harry had also walked over, pulling a chair from the corner of the room over and placing it at the side of the bed. "I'm sorry we weren't here when you woke up, we both must have fallen asleep at some point."

Hermione smiled as she went in for another hug with Harry. "There's no reason to apologize. Besides, I was able to catch up a little bit with Tonks." Looking over at the witch, Hermione gave her a small nod, signaling to her that the secret she had just been told was safe.

Smiling back, Tonks also nodded and said "I'm sure you three have a fair amount of catching up to do. I'll leave you guys alone now."

Just as she was about to leave the Golden-trio to themselves, she heard Hermione ask "Tonks, Harry and Ron had told me they were going to ask you to look into my parents. Have you made sure they were alright?"

Tonks' heart sank upon hearing the question. She knew she would have to tell her the truth eventually, but not like this. This wasn't the right time yet.

"I'm still looking into it. I promise when I find out any news I'll let you know."

Hermione watched as Tonks gave her a small smile and then closed the door behind her as she left. She felt like something was off with Tonks' response, but she thought that if she did have any information, she would have told her.

Returning her attention back to her friends, she couldn't help but laugh at how out of it from the potion they still looked. "You guys, if you're still tired we can talk when you're more awake. I know you two must be just as exhausted as I am."

"No way Hermione, we are fine, really. Harry and I are here to stay." Ron took her hand and gave it a small squeeze. "We have so much to fill you in on about what we have been up to."

Harry slouched back in his chair. "And I'm sure you have loads of questions for us still. We will try to answer as best we can, but most of our information comes from what we have heard from Tonks."

Hermione nodded. She took a deep breath and said "Well, I guess we better start at the beginning."

* * *

Hermione spent the next few hours listening to Harry and Ron describe what had happened after they had left the Burrow. She had been right in thinking they had went to Grimmauld Place to escape the Death Eaters. Once there, they knew there was no going back to check on Ron's family or anyone else who had been at the house. Knowing Hermione was still at the castle when they had fled, Harry and Ron told her that they had tried to figure out where she would have went, but they didn't know where to begin looking. They apologized profusely to her, saying they felt terrible for eventually continuing on without her, but given the circumstances, she told them she completely understood.

They then told her how they had stayed at Grimmauld Place for a few weeks, gathering as much information as they could and trying to come up with a plan as to where a Horcrux could be. They had also been trying to figure out who R.A.B was from the letter in the fake locket Harry had brought back with him the night Dumbledore had died. Finally, it was Ron who stumbled across the answer one night while unable to sleep and after a lengthy and frustrating discussion with Kreacher, they found out that he had been hoarding it all along and had been given the task of destroying it. Unable to do so, he had hid it away, hoping to one day fulfill his master's last wish.

Harry and Ron recovered the locket and then decided it was time to stop planning and start searching. They then began to move around, camping at different sites every few days to avoid being captured. Finding a way to destroy the locket became a harder task then they had originally thought. Harry described to Hermione the effects the locket had on them which by the awkwardness to his explanation, it seemed to Hermione her two best friends had a fair amount of fights with each other.

One night, they said they had both been at it with each other when suddenly something strange happened. They told Hermione that she wouldn't believe them, but a Patronus in the form of a doe lead them to the Sword of Gryffindor which they then used to destroy the locket.

Raising her eyebrow, she said "A Patronus just happened to lead you to the sword?" Skepticism was dripping from every word.

"I know it sounds crazy" Ron said. "But it's true!"

"I know this may sound even crazier, but I think it was my mum's Patronus. Her Patronus is a doe and-"

"Harry" Hermione said as kind as she could. "You have to know that there's no way it could be your mother's.

She watched as her friend looked away from her and out towards the darkened sky. Clenching his jaw, he said "Yeah, I know. It's just.. who else could it have been?"

Hermione stared at her friend with sad eyes. She had no idea who could have sent it, but she knew who hadn't. Turning to look at Ron, she asked "So how did you hurt your arm and how did you two end up here?"

"Well, after we destroyed the locket, we had been toying with the idea that there may have been a Horcrux somewhere in Godric's Hollow. Unlucky for us though, the moment we got there some sort of alarm sounded and we were ambushed by a whole mess of those Snatchers we read about in one of those bloody pamphlets we had found. We were able to create a distraction for the most part, but when we tried to apparate, one of them had grabbed a hold of us and when trying to shake the prick off, I was splinched pretty good across my chest and arm. Harry tried to stop the bleeding, but when it wouldn't stop, he remembered Bill talking about his new home with Fleur when we were all at the Burrow and brought me here."

She watched as Ron gripped his shoulder and gave it a small squeeze. "It's not completely healed yet, but it's getting there. We had been here for almost a week when.. well... you then came."

Catching the sadness in her friends eye, she quickly nodded and turned back to Harry who was still staring out the window. "Well," she said hesitantly. "At least that's one more Horcrux down, and now we have something that can help us destroy them. That's a step in the right direction."

When neither of her friends said anything, she added "Now that we are all finally together, we can start planning again and thinking about where they could be. I'm sure that I'll be better in no time and we can be on our way soon."

The optimism in her voice didn't seem to convince either one of her friends. She watched as they both gave each other a look before Harry finally spoke.

"Hermione, we know you probably have questions for us too, about what happened to you these last few months. We don't have a lot of the details, but Tonks has told us a few things if you want us to tell you."

Hermione thought about the offer. She did want to know, more than anything at that moment. Having months of her life be completely shrouded in darkness was not only frustrating, but terrifying as well. However she had not had time to herself yet since she had been awake, and although she loved having her two best friends with her again, she felt like she needed to process this unknowingness alone first before hearing someone tell her what she had already lived through. Especially what had happened a few days prior. Harry and Ron had explained a few things the first time she had woken up, and even that was enough of a taste to mull on for now.

Putting on a smile for her friends, she said "I do have a lot of questions, and I do want to hear about everything Tonks has heard about, but if it's alright with you guys I'm starting to fade a little and I really think we all could use a little more sleep before we go in to more of this."

Harry and Ron both gave each other another look again, but they weren't going to argue with her.

"If you're sure you want to wait."

Hermione nodded. "I think we all could use some rest right now. It's getting pretty late."

Her two friends stood from their seats. "We're just one room over if you need anything." Ron handed Hermione a small, golden bell. "I think Tonks even rigged this so if you ring it, another one she has will sound and one of us can come help you if you need anything."

Slightly chuckling, Hermione took the bell. "Thanks, but I'm sure I'll pass right out the moment you guys leave."

With one last hug from each of them, she watched as Ron left the room followed by Harry who suddenly stopped in the door frame.

"Hermione," he said with a pause. "We can explain what we know a little more tomorrow, but I think you should know about a few other people who are staying here, in case you run into them."

"Who's that?"

With another slight pause, Harry said "We told you that Luna and Dean are also here, along with Griphook and Ollivander... we even told you that Malfoy is here, but Theodore Nott and Blaise Zabini are here. It was actually Draco's mother, who is also here, who I guess rescued them all from the Manor as well."

Harry watched to see Hermione's reaction to Draco's name, but when nothing but confusion flooded her face, he knew she still didn't remember anything about what had happened between the two of them.

"Why in Merlin's name did-"

"I'll fill you in tomorrow. Try and get some rest, but just know that they are also staying here I guess. I know, I know it's throwing me too."

Hermione began playing with a few stray curls, twirling them between her fingers lost in thought. Finally nodding to Harry that they would talk some more later, she said "Goodnight" and watched him shut the door behind him.

Now that she was finally alone, it felt a little too alone, but for now she had her thoughts to keep her company. While she was feeling tired again, she knew sleep would evade her tonight. Even though a huge chunk of time was missing from her memory, the amount of questions she had more than filled the void.

Leaning back against the headboard, she spotted her purse Tonks had given her. She realized she never heard her say how she found it and made a mental note to ask her again. Pulling the bag closer to her, she opened it and began looking inside, hoping to maybe find anything to help spark a memory.

As she began looking, she was a little stunned when she realized she almost had a small library hidden inside her bag. She began pulling out book after book when suddenly she realized she was surrounded by them.

* * *

Draco was staring up at the seemingly never ending ceiling. His room was pitch black and by the silence that now filled the house, he knew it was well into the night and everyone had gone to bed. Tonks had stopped by his room a while ago, telling him Hermione had finally woken up. With his heart racing, he simply grunted and waited until she had closed the door to his room before letting out a sigh of relief.

He had secretly hope that when Hermione woke up again, her memories would have come back and Tonks had actually come to get him because Hermione was asking for him, but no such luck was had which only frustrated him more.

Pushing back his blonde hair, he sat up from his bed which still hadn't been slept in yet. The sounds of waves crashing outside had almost become a permanent sound that hummed in his ears, even when he left the room. His body ached with hunger and his mind begged for sleep, but he didn't feel like giving in to either one. He didn't see the point.

Blaise and Theo had stopped by his room a few times the past few days. They both would talk to no end either about the living conditions they were now in, or trying to get Draco to talk about why he was so upset even though they both knew the reason. Theo tried to tell him it would probably just take time and he needed to not lock himself in his room all day and night. What his friends didn't understand though, was what that time actually meant for him. Time was nothing but a prison for him now, slowly eating away at him with every second that ticked by. He felt like time had no meaning, no purpose or place in his life. If Hermione didn't remember their last few months together, then time was nothing more than his cage and Hermione's memories was now the key to his escape.

Knowing the house would be empty for him to roam, he decided to take a walk back down to the kitchen and make his way to the beach. The night before he had spent it down there, accompanied only by disbelief and despair.

Standing to make his way out of the room, he grabbed his wand and slowly opened the door. As he made his way down the hallway, he noticed Hermione's door was slightly ajar and a dim glow was escaping from the crack. Stopping in his tracks, his heart nearly jumped of his chest.

 _Just turn around and go back to your room. There's no way you can let her see you, not yet. Having her look at me like I'm some kind of heartless prick again is just not something I can deal with yet._

Although better judgment was telling him to turn around, he was once again getting the urge to ignore it. Even though she wouldn't see him for who he now was, his need to at least see her was making him take one, two, three steps towards her room.

When he was just on the outside of the door, he listened to see if he could hear anyone. When no voices came, he slowly peered around the door to find a witched who was passed out over a mountain of books.

Pushing open the door to get a better view, he stepped inside her room and quietly closed it behind him. The scene was oddly familiar to him. Hermione was asleep on the bed, with what looked like a whole new stack of notes she had started taking and piles of books stacked on top of each other. The light was dim and the open window was softly blowing the curtains around her room, bringing with it the subtle smell of salt from the ocean.

Taking a few steps towards the slumbering witch, he couldn't help but think back to the first time he entered her room at the cabin. He had found her sleeping there too, laying on top of mounds of books and looking as peaceful as she was here.

He was reminding himself that last time he had checked on her though, she had woken up to find him standing over her and even though that time lead to one of the best nights of his life, he was sure if she woke up this time, it would most certainly not end the same way. However he was still slowly moving towards her, needing to be close to her again even if it meant him getting caught.

Once he was standing next to her bed, his fingers decided to have a mind of their own again and they instinctively went to move a stray curl from her face. This time though, he didn't hesitate and softly brushed it to the side.

His bruised knuckles brushed her flushed cheeks. They felt warm against his cold skin, sending a shiver up his spine. The warmth he felt from her made his heart ache deeper than ever before. He needed her touch, craved it to the point where it began to hurt just standing next to her. All he wanted to do was hold her and to tell her what he should have weeks ago.

Noticing a certain book that lay next to her, he picked up _Dark Arts Through the Ages_ and saw a slip of parchment fall from the pages with notes scribbled all along it.

 _Not even a full day of rest and you're back at the books again. I guess I shouldn't expect anything less from you Granger._

With a small smile, he placed the book back down on the bed and a heart pounding thought crossed his mind.

 _This.. all of this has happened before. The books, the research, the note taking... I was there through all of it and somehow I didn't manage to fuck it up. I was able to prove to you how I felt then, and I can do it again._

He continued to ever so slightly graze his fingers along her cheek and down her jaw line.

 _You may have lost your memories Granger, but you can't lose love, not like what we had. It's still in there somewhere, and I'm going to help you find it._

Taking another moment to allow his fingers to linger, he finally used his wand to extinguished the small fire that was burning in a jar next to the bed. Making his way out of the room, he decided to still make his way down to the beach, only this time it was going to be different. This time, hope would be accompanying him instead.

* * *

Note: I am SO deeply sorry for the delay in this chapter! I was offered a week long internship working with large animals and I just had to take it... it just didn't leave me a lot of writing time :(

Thank you all so, so much for all the reviews on my last chapter! I have never received so many new follows/favorites on a chapter before. I lost track of how many times you guys have made me smile these past few weeks :) :)

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I know these past few have been on the longer side so I hope that's alright! We are a little more than half way through the story now. I'm guessing to have around 40 chapters when I'm done (but don't quote me :) )

Thank you again for all the positive reviews and new follows/favorites. You guys really do make my day! I'm working on the next chapter already, but with my work schedule it will probably be about 7-10 days for the next one.

I've been sitting at this coffee shop for almost 5 hours now and even though I'm all hopped up on caffeine I should probably go home and get some sleep. I hope you all have a great weekend!

- _Toujours._


	22. Chapter 22: Deja vu

**Wounded**

Chapter 22: Deja vu

Darkness was all that surrounded her as she used her hands to make her way down a seemingly never ending hallway. The further Hermione stumbled forward, the stronger the metallic smell became. It was invading her nose, flooding her with a sense of fear and panic with each deep breath she took. Her ears were ringing with the sound of silence as she continued to make her way down the corridor.

Suddenly, Hermione heard a scream echoing against the walls. It paralyzed her, consuming her as the pain it held spread throughout her veins. It wasn't long though until she realized the scream she was hearing was coming from none other than herself.

Hermione shot up from bed, her body trembling uncontrollably. A thin layer of sweat had formed across her forehead and her cheeks felt damp. Bringing a shaky hand up to her face, she wiped away a few tears that had fallen. Taking a moment to collect herself, she looked around the room, remembering where she was.

The sun was just starting to rise, giving her room a soft warm glow. Books littered her bed and when she shifted to sit up a little higher, a few of them toppled to the floor. She noticed the small fire she had lit had been put out and her door had been completely closed shut. Figuring one of the boys or Tonks must have come to check on her in the middle of the night, she guessed they had probably put it out. Feeling a knot in her shoulder, she slightly winced as she rolled her fingers over the tense muscles of her neck.

 _I really need to learn not to fall asleep on top of books._

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath. She felt like she could hear the scream still ringing in her ears. It sent a chill up her spine as she closed her eyes even tighter.

 _For Merlin's sake, it was just a dream. I shouldn't be this shaken up by a stupid dream._

However it was more than a dream. It was a nightmare, one in which felt too real for her liking. Needing to think about something else, she took one final deep breath and opened her eyes.

Sighing to herself, she said "I guess I should work on getting myself to the bathroom."

She knew her body had taken a toll. The details were still hazy to her, but from what she had gathered so far from Harry and Ron she was just lucky to be alive. It had taken her a few stumbles and a shoulder to lean on the night before, but she was able to walk on her own for the most part out of her room and down the hallway. Hoping to try walking on her own this morning, she pushed the remaining books on her bed aside and placed her feet on the cool floor.

The chill of the floor boards made her breath catch in her throat. Reaching over to the end table, she grabbed her bag and began looking through it for something warm to slip on over her shirt. After a moment of searching, she pulled out a dark green sweater and slipped it over her head.

Placing her palms on the edge of the bed, she braced herself as she pushed off. "Well," she said. "Here we go."

* * *

Waves continued to crash along the shore line, just barley reaching where Draco sat. Dawn was starting to make its way over the horizon and the sky was becoming a mixture of blue, silver and orange. Darkness was finally surrendering to the light, and with the sun's first rays, Draco knew he would no longer be hidden beneath night's protection.

Sleep was the furthest thing from Draco's mind. He had been up all night thinking about how he would go about his idea of making Hermione remember him. He had a few ideas, but none of them felt like they would be big enough of a spark to help trigger her memories. He also had told himself sooner or later he was going to have to face her and see that look in her eyes he feared so much. However, he had found hope, and although it was only a glimmer, it was enough for now to keep him going.

Taking one more deep gulp of sea air, he stood up and began to make his way back to the house. He knew people would be waking soon and he wanted to get back to his room before anyone saw him. Once he was inside, he walked through the kitchen and made his way up the winding staircase.

 _I guess I'm going to have to figure out how to talk to her without those two pains in the arse getting in the way. I'm guessing at some point I'll have to end up talking to them too, and although it's probably going to hurt me more than them, showing Granger that I'm more than she thinks I am is going to involve at least some type of civility on my part... Fuck._

Pushing back his sea damped hair, he reached the top of the stairs and began walking towards his room. Too busy thinking about how much of a pain actually talking with Harry and Ron was going to be, he didn't notice Hermione until a flash of green caught his eye.

In the blink of an eye, Draco had reached out to catch Hermione as she dropped her bag and stumbled forward. It felt only natural for him to help her, but the look of pure shock in Hermione's eye made him realize that his actions seemed all but foreign to her.

Taking a moment to collect her balance, Hermione felt Draco's tight grip on her arm as he helped stabilize her. Looking down at his hand, she noticed his knuckles were swollen and bruised. She wondered if he had injured himself when he had also escaped the Manor since the wounds didn't look fresh. Confused by his actions, she looked back up at him and placed her free hand on the wall to lean on. Slightly pulling back her other arm that was being held by the person who had never offered her help before in his life, she said "Well I'm surprised at you Malfoy."

Furrowing his brow, he let go of her arm when he felt her pull away from him. Watching as she as she took a step back, he asked "What do you mean?"

Hermione knew she didn't have her wand with her. She had looked through her bag multiple times, but she knew it must have been lost in all the commotion at the Manor. Although she knew her wandless magic could take him, she was still recovering and she wouldn't be able to use it as well as needed in case he decided to try something.

Keeping an eye on his hand movements, she said "I'm surprised you actually put your hands on a... what do you call me? Oh yeah - a 'filthy Mudblood' like me."

There it was. The look Draco had been trying to avoid for days now. Her eyes didn't recognize him, at least not in the way he wanted, even needed her to. They were still amber in color, but they were untrusting of him and seemed to be filled with animosity. His heart felt like it had been ripped from his chest, and even though the pain from her stare was causing every muscle in his body to tense, he continued to stare back.

Ignoring her statement, he picked up her purse from the floor and asked "Are you alright Granger?"

A little taken aback by his question, she continued to stare at him for another moment before reaching out and taking back her bag from him. Still unsure of the situation, she hesitated before answering.

"Yeah... I'm fine."

Shifting her weight a little to rest more against the wall, she mumbled to herself "Just over did it a little is all. I thought I would try making it down the hallway by myself and well, apparently I can't even do that on my own yet."

Draco could almost taste the bitterness in her words. Suddenly realizing what sweater she was wearing, he did the best he could to hid the smile that was twitching at the sides of his lips.

 _Damn it Granger. Leave it to you to pick that damn green sweater that drives me crazy._

As he continued to hide his smirk, he began to remember a night when he decided to take off that particular sweater in such a rush that he had ripped it right up the middle. However his smile quickly faded as he watched her push the sleeves of the sweater up her arms.

His jaw clenched. He had seen her in the dim light of the fire the night before, but until now he couldn't appreciate the amount of bruises and healing scraps that still littered her skin. They were fading, but still visible.

Hermione was still watching him out of the corner of her eyes. She was studying him, trying to figure out why he hadn't made a snide remark yet or even why he had even asked her how she was doing. She found it even more strange when she noticed him slightly twitch at the sight of her arms.

 _Why should seeing that bother him? I would think knowing what his aunt did to me would make him almost happy_.

Feeling herself becoming tired just standing in the hallway, she decided it was best to keep making her way to the bathroom. As she took a step forward, she heard Draco voice.

"Do you want a hand?"

The question made her stop in her tracks. Slowly turning back to face him, she was surprised to see him offering his actual hand. She stared at him for a moment again, lost in her own thoughts of confusion and surprise.

Finally, she answered "I can do this on my own."

Draco chuckled. _Seems like you didn't forget that stubbornness though._

"I promise you that I have no doubt in your ability to do this, or really anything for that matter on your own. I just thought I'd offer." Lowering his arm, he turned and started walking towards his room.

Watching as he walked away, Hermione stood there lost for words.

 _Did Malfoy just complement me? What in Godric's name has happened around here these past few months._

Noticing him go for the door knob with his injured had, she watched as he decided to use his other one instead. Without thinking, she said "Those injuries look a few days old. You do know how to heal that hand of yours don't you?"

Draco's heart almost leapt out of his throat. Deja vu was making the hairs on the back of his neck stand on edge and he could feel his chest tightening. Keeping his eyes forward and fixed on the door, he smiled and said "You know Granger, you aren't the only one who does well in school right?"

Hermione's eyes narrowed as she watched Draco begin to laugh.

"I don't see what's so funny Malfoy. You know if you don't heal it soon, it can actually cause permanent damage."

Draco finally turned to look at Hermione. Even though she was at the other end of the hallway, he could see her checks flush with frustration. Unable to hide his smile, he said "I think I've heard that somewhere before. Thanks for the tip Granger."

She watched as he disappeared into his room. The past ten minutes began to replay in her mind. She had expected him to be cold and rude, but he had been anything but the Draco she had known.

 _Well that was... strange._

Feeling her body becoming even more tired and angry with her for pushing it too far, she turned and used the wall as support to make it the rest of the way to the bathroom. Once inside, she closed the door and turned on the shower. Although she was interested in why Draco had acted the way he did, her sore body was pushing these thoughts out of her mind and the only thing left was its need to feel some type of relief.

Looking through her bag, she pulled out her shampoo and soap and began undressing. As she pulled the sweater over her head, she couldn't help but notice it had a subtle smell of pine to it. Unsure of where it could have come from, she held it to her nose for a moment before setting it back in her bag.

 _It smells like home._

Giving a weak smile, she avoided looking in the mirror as she continued to remove her clothes. She knew that if she saw how her body looked at that moment, it would send her over the edge that she was already teetering on. Instead, she stepped into the shower and sat down, bringing her knees to her chest. The steaming hot water showered over her, washing away some of the pain that was still lingering on the surface. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

 _Everything is going to be alright. You'll remember everything soon, you have to. This is all just temporary and until your memories come back, Harry and Ron can help fill in some of the missing pieces._

Repeating this to herself a few times, she could feel her confidence waning which was allowing doubt to slowly creep in.

 _But what if you don't remember... then what? I could have found useful information and all of it will just be lost... damn it._

Soon, the room was thick with steam. Doubt now had brought along with it despair which quickly bred into fear. She knew she had to remember, no matter what. Holding back a few soft sobs, she slowly let the steam fill her already clouded mind.

* * *

After almost thirty minutes, Hermione began to hear the muffled sound of doors opening and closing in the hallway. She knew her friends were starting to stir and head downstairs for breakfast. Washing off the rest of the soap she had used to massage her tired muscles, she stepped out of the shower and was relieved to see the mirror had completely fogged. She pulled her hair back into a lose braid and put on a pair of jeans and a loose fitting shirt.

Making her way back to her room, she was happy that the shower seemed to have helped ease some of the strain on her muscles. She was still sore, but she was able to make it to her door this time without having to use the wall as support. Upon entering, she was delighted to see that she was not in the company of a certain blonde haired witch.

Grinning at the sight of her friend, Hermione was glad to see that she hadn't changed a bit. She was staring out of the window, assumedly day dreaming about something only Luna could dream of, and for that Hermione's smiled widened.

Hearing the door open, Luna turned to see who had come in. Seeing that it was Hermione, she said "I hope it's alright I came to see you. I know Ron said you should probably rest for awhile, but I thought maybe you could use the company."

Continuing into the room, Hermione said "Of course! I'm so happy to see you." She made her way over to Luna and embraced her in a hug. "I've missed you, I'm so glad you're alright. Ron told me that you were here."

Picking up a few of the books to make room for the two of them, she sat down and motioned for Luna to do the same. "He also said that you were at the Manor as well, how did you end up there?"

Before Luna could answer, a knock came at the door which was soon followed by it opening before Hermione could even respond. Harry and Ron entered the room and joined the girls in conversation.

"Sorry to barge in on girl talk, but we heard that you were up and we wanted to see how you were feeling."

Hermione softly chuckled to herself. While she knew Ron's words were true, she also knew that by the smile that spread across his face when he saw Luna, she knew another motive to coming in was to see her as well. "It's no problem, I'm glad you guys came to join us."

She caught Harry's eyes and they both smiled at each other. It seemed that she was right in thinking that Ron did indeed have other interests in the room besides her.

Pulling up a chair, Harry sat next to the bed. "How are you feeling this morning Hermione? I see you did a little light reading last night."

Slightly shrugging, she said "I feel alright I guess, a little stiff still. It probably didn't help that I feel asleep on top of books again. The hot shower definitely helped though."

Ron picked up one of the books and turned it over. "Hundred & One Forbidden Items and How to Use Them... where did you get this? In fact, where did you get any of these books?"

As Ron's question felt out of his mouth, he immediately regretted it. "I'm so sorry Hermione, I'm such an arse. I didn't think-"

"It's alright Ron, you don't need to apologize. I don't know where they came from, I can't remember. I was searching my bag last night and stumbled upon this small library that was hidden in there."

Harry once again made eye contact with Hermione. She knew what he wanted to ask, but with Luna in the room, she knew he wasn't going to. She'd have to tell him later that she had the same idea he did and had been searching for information on horcruxes all night.

Watching as Ron set the book back on the bed, she noticed he had grabbed another book that sat on her nightstand. "That one has been the most.. intriguing and confusing so far. It's written in runes, but I know the title is ' The Tales of Beedle the Bard' and I've managed to figure out-"

Ron looked up wide eyed at her. " The Tales of Beedle the Bard? I love this book!"

Confused, she said "You've read this book before?"

"Oh yeah, loads of times. Mum use to read it to us all the time as kids."

He must have noticed the confused look still on Hermione's face. Setting it back down on the table, he added "They are children's stories. You must have heard them too when you were younger."

Ron looked at both Harry and Hermione for some sort of recognition, but when none came he looked at Luna. "You know what I'm talking about, don't you?"

Luna smiled. "Of course. My dad read them to me as a kid too. He'd even act out the stories when he read them, it was quite a show."

Hermione smiled as politely as she could. _I'm sure it was._

"Well," she said, "I'm finding them to be a very good read. Not quite sure why I have a book of children's stories in here though, or really why I have any of these books. I just wish I knew where they all came from."

Hearing the disappointment in his friend's voice, Harry changed the subject. "You up for some breakfast? We can bring it up here for you so you don't have to make the trip downstairs."

Hermione wasn't feeling particularly hungry, but she knew her friends would worry if she didn't at least try and eat something. Nodding her head, she said "I'd love that, thank you."

"I'll stay here with you Hermione, we still have to have that 'girl talk' as Ron called it."

Turning to look back at her friend, she noticed Ron was still riffling through the assorted books that were covering the bed.

"Some of these seem pretty strange Hermione. I mean, who would want to read this?"

Holding up a book that depicted a serpent eating its own tail with the title written in ancient Egyptian, Hermione said "That's actually a really interesting book too Ron. That symbol is called an Ouroboros and that book talks about some interesting concepts in Alchemy."

Not seeming as interested in the topic as Hermione was, she watched him toss the book back down in the pile. "Speaking of strange though, have any of you talked to Malfoy since he has been here?"

The room went uncomfortably silent. Noticing her friends were eyeing each other, she said "What is it? If you're wondering if I found him strange as well, I most definitely agree. We actually had a whole conversation that didn't include me wanting to punch him in the end. It was very weird to say the least."

Hesitating before asking, Harry said "What did you guys talk about?"

"Nothing really. I just ran in to him on the way to take a shower." Pausing, she added "I think he actually gave me a compliment if you can believe it."

Wanting to get off the subject as quickly as possible, Harry stood from his chair and said "We should probably go get you something to eat. I'm sure you're starving."

Ron stood up to join Harry. Hermione had a strange feeling the both weren't saying something, but she would have to pry them later on what it was.

"We'll be right back." Ron turned to look at Luna. "Jasmine tea with cream?"

Watching her friend smile and nod, Hermione couldn't help but feel happy for her two friends. _Hopefully one day those two can just tell each other how they really feel._

"It's sweet that Ron knows how you drink you're tea."

Seeing her friend slightly bush, she knew today would not be that day. Hermione decided it was best to change the topic in the meantime. "So tell me, how _did_ you end up at Malfoy Manor?"

* * *

Blaise and Theo had made themselves welcome in Draco's room again. It wasn't long before he had been back when they decided to invade. The tired, blonde wizard was looking out his window as he listened to his friends once again begin complaining about their house mates.

"I swear I could hear Ginger snoring through the walls last night. Without my fucking wand, I can't put up a silencing charm."

Draco noticed Theo eyeing his wand that was sitting on top of his dresser. "Don't even think about stealing mine Nott. If I ever find it missing, you better hope I don't find you."

Groaning, Theo said "But what am I going to do if I can't get my beauty sleep? This charming creature in front of you can't happen unless I get my full eight hours."

Rolling his eyes, Draco went back to looking outside. "I guess we should go find something to eat then."

Both Blaise and Theo looked at each other in disbelief. "You mean Draco Malfoy is actually going to leave his room today? What's changed?"

Pushing back his hair, Draco said "Don't make this a bigger deal than it is. I just figure if I'm going to try and get Granger to remember me, the real me, it's probably a good idea that she actually sees me from time to time."

"You do know talking to Hermione also means having to deal with-"

"Yes, I do realize that. I'll just have to find a way to somehow deal with those two."

Walking over and picking up his wand, Draco placed it in his back pocket and headed for the door. "You two coming or are you just going to continue invading my room?"

Theo quickly sat up from the chair. "And miss seeing you have another go with Potter and Weasley? No chance in hell."

"I'm not going to have a 'go' with them Nott. That's the opposite of what needs to happen."

"Well considering you're track record with them, I'd say going cold turkey is just not in your cards mate, but I do wish you the best of luck."

Gritting his teeth, he turned to leave the room. As he made his way into the hall, he heard Theo mutter to Blaise "Want to make a bet on who starts the argument first? Winner gets to choose the prize."

Smirking, Blaise said "You're on. I'll take Malfoy over Potter."

"You're loss Zabini."

"Would both of you knock it off. No one is fighting with anyone, got it?"

As the three entered the kitchen, Draco groaned when he saw who was already down there. He was also a little disappointed to see that Hermione had not joined them. Noticing that Ron was making a cup of lemon tea, he said "If that's for Granger, she takes her tea with honey, not sugar."

Ron shot Draco a disgusted look. "Don't act like you know her better than we do Malfoy."

Trying as hard as he could to subtly put the sugar down and reach for the honey, he said "I hear you already did what I specifically told you not to."

Furrowing his brow, Draco said "Excuse me?"

"Don't play dumb Malfoy. Hermione already told us you talked to her this morning. I thought I made it clear that we don't want you anywhere near her right now."

Theo laughed. "For fucks sake, I didn't think it would start so soon. Zabini, looks like we are both going to lose this bet."

Draco gave his friend a stern look. "Shut it."

Deciding to step in before it went any further, Harry said "Ron, he didn't actually say anything. It's not a very big house either, the two of them are going to cross paths."

Ron's eyes widened. "Are you actually taking his side?"

"No, but I'd rather not start this at 8 o'clock in the morning. Let's just get this up stairs to the girls while it's still hot."

Scoffing under his breath, Ron begrudgingly decided to follow Harry's lead. "Fine, just as long as he keeps quiet about her parents still."

Draco knew it was best to bite his tongue at that moment, but he still hadn't kicked the habit of ignoring his better judgment. "If she asks me Weasel, I'm not going to lie to her, and you both need to figure out when to tell her and it better be soon."

Simultaneously it seemed like everyone in the room knew that Draco unfortunately had started something. Leaning in, Blaise said to Theo "I'll get back to you on what my prize is going to be."

* * *

Luna had explained to Hermione how she had ended up in the Malfoy dungeons along with Dean, Griphook and Ollivander. She had left out the three Slytherin's story for the time being, unsure of exactly how much she should say.

"I still can't believe it was Narcissa Malfoy who came to rescue you all."

"Yes, well I've found it best to just always be prepared for the unexpected. That way when it comes, you're always ready."

Hermione smiled. Looking at the bedroom door, she said "The boys are sure taking awhile." She knew it was probably best to still take it easy, but she was also tired of being in the same room.

"What do you say we make our way down stairs. I could use a change of scenery. I'd like to see more of the cottage and also find Bill and Fleur. I still need to thank them for everything."

"You sure you're up for it?"

Refraining from becoming annoyed with the fact people seem to think she was now this fragile person, she said "Yeah, I'll be fine. Let's go."

Following Luna out of the bedroom and into the hallway, although she did have to take it more slowly, she was proud that she didn't need to use the wall again for support. Once she was on the landing, she started to hear voices coming up the stairs. Realizing the voices belonged to more than just Ron and Harry, she realized Malfoy was also among them.

Suddenly hearing her name enter the conversation, she grabbed Luna's arm and the two witches were now standing on the stairs listening to the commotion.

"I swear to Godric Malfoy, don't you dare speak a word about her parents to her. We, her real friends, will figure out how and when."

Draco was finding it harder and harder to keep his cool. "If you actually think I'm going to listen to anything you say Weasel, then you're more stupid than I thought." He looked over at Harry. "Once again Potter, you seem overly quiet. Care to chime in on this?"

Harry was being quiet, and it was on completely on purpose. What he was going to say was going to upset his best friend, but at this point he knew it needed to be said.

"Ron, you know I am never one to side with Malfoy, but... I do think he sort of has a point. We have to tell her about her parents, and soon. Delaying it will just make it worse I feel like."

Taking a step back, Ron's shock spread across his face. "Are you serious? You think telling Hermione her parents are dead is the best thing to do right now?'

This time it was unavoidable. Hermione needed the wall to not only stay standing, but to be able to touch something that she knew was real. She needed to know that she wasn't dreaming again. She could hear her friends talking still, but it was all jumbled together. Finding it hard to breath, she looked over to see Luna who was avoiding making eye contact with her.

Whispering, she said "Did you know?"

As Luna slowly turned to look at her, Hermione saw her answer in her friend's silvery blue eyes before she even spoke. Taking a deep breath, she let go of her arm and continued down the steps.

"Harry, she has to rest and be able to recover before we add this on top of it. You have to see that. As her friends we have to protect her."

"I think you should let me decided if and when I need protecting Ron."

Draco's whole body went ridged. Keeping his eyes straight forward, he didn't dare look behind him. He knew by the look of sheer panic that was now on both Harry and Ron's face, everyone in the room was in serious trouble.

Taking the last step down into the kitchen, Hermione walked past Draco and continued straight towards her supposed best friends. Stopping just a few feet in front of them, she let her piercing stare do the talking.

Shifting uncomfortably, Harry spoke just above a whisper. "Hermione, how much did you hear-"

"Enough." Narrowing her eyes, she said "Why the _hell_ didn't you tell me?"

Hermione could feel the tears building behind her eyes, but she didn't dare let them fall. She wasn't about to let her friends see her break down, not here.

Afraid to move a muscle, Harry said "We were going to tell you, we were just trying to figure out-"

"Say it again."

Confused, he asked "What do you mean?"

"Tell, me." She looked from Harry, to Ron and then back again. "Tell me to my face that my parents are really dead."

Finally finding his voice, Ron said "Hermione... I'm so sorry."

She felt like she was going to be sick. Shutting her eyes to keep back the tears, she muttered "How do you know?"

After another moment of awkward silence, Hermione finally opened her eyes to see both the boys now staring at something behind her. Lost on their actions, she followed their gaze and turned around to now see everyone in the room for some reason looking at Malfoy.

Draco was having to remind himself to breath. Meeting Hermione's stare, he could see the pain building in her eyes and it was tearing him apart.

 _This is not how I wanted you to find out Granger, or what you deserve._

Needing to break the silence, Harry said "Hermione, Malfoy had told us when you both first got here."

Her vision was blurring, but she shook it off and keep her focus on Malfoy. "Why in Merlin's name would you know that?"

Draco knew he couldn't stay silent much longer. "Granger, I was with you when... when you found out."

"What are you talking about?"

"I know you can't remember, and there is a good amount that you still need to be filled on, but you're parents... they were murdered and you're the one who found them."

There was no stopping them anymore. Hermione could feel hot tears spilling down her face and she didn't care. Her body was now trembling and her head felt like it was going to explode.

Narrowing her eyes, she whispered "You're lying."

Clenching his jaw, Draco said "I wish I was, but-"

"So this morning, when you saw me. You didn't think it was important to share this information with me?" Her voice was growing louder and her words were becoming shaky, but Hermione's rage was now fueling her.

"You just decided to be the selfish prick that you always are! Any decent human being would have told me the truth, but I guess I shouldn't expect that from you should I?... How could you?..."

Hermione's words trailed off. Her throat felt like it was constricting to the point where she couldn't breathe. Knowing she just barely had enough strength to make it back to her room, she started to make her way back up the stairs.

Wanting to explain themselves further, Ron went to grab Hermione's arm to stay. "Hermione wait."

Draco watched as Ron was suddenly thrown backwards and hit the edge of the dining room table. He had seen it coming before Hermione had even conjured her wandless jinx.

As Hermione began walking upstairs, she didn't bother looking back as she said "Don't even think about following me to my room."

As everyone in the kitchen listened to Hermione's footsteps fade upstairs, it was followed with a loud slam of her bedroom door. Once again, Theo took it upon himself to break the awkward silence.

"Fuck... please remind me to never piss her off." Leaning against the kitchen counter, he smiled and said "Was anyone else a little turned on when she kicked Weasel's arse?"

Clenching his fists, Draco turned his head away so no one could see the pain that was now building behind his own eyes. The sweet smell of strawberries that still lingered in the air was torturing him and the glimmer of hope he so briefly had was now gone.

"Shut the _fuck_ up Theo."

* * *

This time walking to her room, Hermione had no choice but to use the wall as support. It took every last ounce of strength she had left to make it back to her bedroom. Shutting the door behind her, she finally allowed herself to collapse onto the floor.

Gasping for air, Hermione brought a shaky hand up to her hair. Since it was in a braid, the frustration of not being able to run her fingers through it quickly escalated her anger into rage. Her actions were uncoordinated, but she was finally able to undo her hair and clutch fistfuls of curls.

 _This can't be happening, this is just a nightmare and you're going to wake up any second now._

Her room was filling with hushed whimpers and soft sobs. Nothing made sense and her clouded mind had now turned into a full blown thunderstorm. She wanted to disappear, to forget everything and to fade into the darkness that had filled her heart. However, now that the sun's rays reached every corner of her room, there was no chance of hiding.

* * *

Note: Well... I find myself at the same coffee shop, buzzed on caffeine again and it's just about to turn 6am. I want to thank you all for the new follows/favs/reviews! I'm so glad you guys have been enjoying the story so far :) I always love hearing from you guys and reading what you think. I'm sending my gratitude and love out to you all!

Sorry this chapter is a little shorter than the previous few, but it needed to end here. I hope everyone is having a great summer! I just got my school schedule for fall semester :( :( I can't believe break is going by so fast.

I'll post the next chapter as soon as I can. Should be around the same time frame as usual.

The sun is now coming up, and as much as I love seeing sunrises I do have to work in T-minus six hours so off to bed I go!

Thank you all again for such positive reviews!

- _Toujours._


	23. Chapter 23: Apology

**Wounded**

Chapter 23: Apology

Draco could hear people talking around him, but everything was blurring together. He was keeping his fists clenched and his eyes were shut even tighter. The last hints of vanilla had just faded from his senses and he knew that all hope of proving to Hermione that he was a different person now was gone. Draco needed to leave the kitchen, to be alone and figure out what was going to happen next. As he was trying to gain some feeling back in his legs to turn and leave, it was the storm door opening and slamming shut that made him open his eyes to see who had joined them.

"Do my eyes deceive me or is Draco Malfoy actually down here for breakfast for once?"

When Tonks suddenly felt the air was thick with tension, she stopped in the middle of the kitchen and began surveying the room. When she saw that Ron was now nursing both his already injured arm and his now injured chest, she knew where to start asking questions.

Sighing, she said "Draco, I really had hoped that you would have thought twice before going after Ron, you know, seeing as how you want to show a certain someone that you've changed."

Draco glared at his cousin. With his eyes narrowing and his chest tightening, he was finding it difficult to speak without sounding resentful.

"As much as I would have loved to have been the one to send Weasel flying, it wasn't me."

Cocking her eyebrow, Tonks turned her attention onto the other two Slytherins in the room.

"Don't look at us," Theo said while chuckling. "We were just lucky enough to be here to see the show."

Even more confused now, Tonks looked back to Ron. Pointing to his torn shirt which was just barley showing a freshly formed bruise, she asked "Who the hell did that to you then?"

Ron hesitated before answering. Rubbing his still sore chest, he finally said "Hermione has become a lot better at her wandless magic, that's for sure."

"Are you telling me Hermione did that to you? Why in Merlin's name would she do that?"

The room went uncomfortably silent again. Draco was making eye contact with both Harry and Ron who looked as if they were both feeling the same way he was. It seemed to Draco like they were also lost for words and no one wanted to be the one to tell Tonks what had just happened. However, by the way she was staring the three of them down, someone was going to have to break the silence soon.

Becoming quickly annoyed, Tonks took a deep breath before continuing. "Alright, I'm going to ask nicely just one more time. What the hell happened to make Hermione-"

"She found out," Harry's voice was quiet, but Draco could still hear him speak.

"She found out about her parents, and it wasn't the best way, to say the least."

Draco's stomach took another dive. Just hearing Harry say it made his heart ache even more than it already was. He watched as his cousin's words became lost on her as well.

After a few moments of uncomfortable silence had passes, she was finally able to ask "How?"

Draco met his cousin's anxious stare. He so desperately wanted her to look away, to look at someone else for answers, but he knew that wasn't going to happen. Instead she held his gaze, just waiting for him to talk.

Unable to take her pleading eyes any longer, he finally caved. "She walked in on us. We didn't know she was listening and she overheard fucking loud mouth over there-"

"Excuse me!" Ron's face was furious. "You cannot blame this on me."

Draco scoffed. "You're the idiot who decided to run you're bloody fucking mouth off, and if you would have just told her from the very beginning, then this whole fucking mess could have been avoided!"

"Enough! Both of you..." Tonks' hand sliced through the air. "By the sounds of it, you both have done enough for one day."

He could feel his heart pounding against his chest. Wanting to leave the kitchen as quickly as possible, he decided to swallow the words that dangerously sat on the tip of his tongue. Draco turned his gaze away from the two Gryffindors and placed it back on to Tonks. Watching her take a deep breath before speaking, he unfortunately knew what she was about to say.

"You three have to go up there and talk to her, tell her everything. She deserves to know the full story now."

"There's no way that's going to happen." Ron took a seat on the wooden bench.

Furrowing her brow, Tonks asked "And why is that?"

"Well first of all, Hermione made it quite clear that she didn't want anyone to follow her. Second of all, there's no way Malfoy is coming with us to talk to her when we do."

Draco bit his tongue until he tasted blood. He knew that if any of them should go talk to her, it was him. Even though she now hated him more than ever, he had been the one with her when she had found her parents. He knew what the last few months had held for her, good, bad and otherwise, and no matter how painful it was going to be, he owed her the truth.

 _I should have just told her about her parents from the beginning. Why the hell did I decided now was a good time to listen to these two idiots._

Surprising for Draco though, he wasn't the only one in the room with these thoughts.

"Ron," Harry awkwardly shifted in his seat before continuing. "Like I said before and I'll say it again now; I really don't like siding with Malfoy, but I think if anyone should go talk to her about her parents, it may be a good idea if he did first."

Watching the color drain from Ron's face made Draco smirk.

Nodding her head, Tonks said "I agree with Harry on this. I mean, he was the only one here who was actually with her when she found out. He's the only one who could answer her questions or tell her exactly what happened. I think-"

"Why the bloody hell has everyone gone completely insane around here!" Ron slammed his fist down on the table which caused everyone in the room to jump.

"You think letting Malfoy be alone with Hermione is smart? You saw how she acted, she wants nothing to do with him! I mean can you blame her? He has been nothing but an arse to her since the first day they met. If anything, he will probably enjoy telling her so he can watch her suffer like he always does."

Draco couldn't keep quiet any longer. His mouth tasted of metal and his nails had dug as far as they could into his palms. He didn't even bother reaching for his wand. Wanting to feel the cracking of bone underneath his fist, he took a step forward toward Ron. However, Tonks was quick enough to put up a barrier between the two and Draco could feel it pushing him back.

"Ron!" Tonks yelled. "That was completely uncalled for, what the hell were you thinking-"

"No, no it's fine Tonks." Draco was struggling to control his temper, but the look of pure shock on Ron's face from his advancement was helping. Narrowing his eyes on to him, he took a shaky, deep breath before he spoke.

"You win Weasel, you can have it your way. If you want to be the one to tell Hermione what happened the night her parents died please, be my guest." Draco could feel the blood in his veins start to boil as he continued.

"You can be the one to tell her all about how she was the one who found her parents sitting in a pool of their own blood. How the smell of it in the air was so thick that you could practically taste it on your tongue. Remind her that after she found them, she asked to be left alone with them for a little while so I did. Problem was after about an hour I went to check on her and found her kneeling next to her mother, soaked in her blood. You can tell her that when she finally realized that her parents blood was on her, it had already stained her skin and wouldn't come off so I ended up having to hold her for hours as she cried in my arms until it finally washed off in the shower. Don't forget to mention the fact that the reason her parents were killed was because they were being tortured for any information on the whereabouts of you three and that Greyback was the one to finish them off."

Draco's whole body was shaky in rage. The moment he finished speaking the room was completely silent. He could feel everyone' eyes on him, but he didn't care. All he cared about was how pale Ron's face looked.

"Seeing as how you seem so eager to be the one to tell Granger all of this, then please by all means be the one to tell her. You're saving me from a conversation I would rather not have with her so thank you, really. I'm so glad you want to be the one to tell her all of this."

Needing to be anywhere but there, Draco turned and started to walking towards the stairs, but before he made it to the first step, he stopped and added "Oh, and don't forget to tell her that she had to move and bury her own parents under the willow tree. I'm sure she will want to know where they are now."

Taking the first step toward his room, he heard his cousin speak.

"Draco, come back... Draco!"

He ignored her and kept walking up the stairs. His temper was rising and he knew if he stayed in the kitchen one more second he would have done everything in his power to reach Ron and pummel him right in the face.

Once he made it up the stairs and past the landing, he froze. Although the racket now coming from down stairs was making its way up, the muffled sounds of someone crying had now also reached his ears. His heart sank as his chest heaved in and out. He knew who those soft sobs belonged to and it was killing him that all he could do was listen.

Slowly, he took a few steps closer to her room. When he was just outside the door, he stopped again to listen. Each muffled cry that hit his ears made him ache just that much more. Here he was, in the same place again, but only this time there was no way to reach her, no way to comfort her like he had done before.

 _Damn it Granger... you have every right to hate me right now, but I wish you could just remember me..us. At least that way I could try to comfort you. You shouldn't be alone right now._

With his mind focused on her pain, he didn't realize his hand was slowly moving towards the doorknob. It wasn't until the chill of the brass handle hit his skin that he noticed what he was doing.

Quickly taking a step back, he cursed himself under his breath. Backing further away from the door, he quickly began making his way back to his room.

 _She made it very clear what she thinks about me. Just let those selfish pricks deal with it. They claim to be her best friends after all. I'm just the guy who she can't remember._

Reaching his door, Draco made it into his room and slammed it behind him. Collapsing on to his bed, he took out his wand and waved it, causing the curtains to close and block the too cheery sunlight from making its way into the room.

Staring up at the ceiling, Draco began taking deep breaths to try and help slow down his racing mind. His hands were trembling as thoughts of the night both he and Hermione had found her parents continued to invade. He began reliving every painful minute that the two of them had shared that night.

 _Fuck those two... if Weasel doesn't want me to be the one to talk to her about it then fine. It's not like she is all that eager to even talk to me now anyways._

Closing his eyes, he slammed his fist against his bed. He could see her amber eyes staring up at him in disbelief and disgust. The pain that had filled them was tearing him apart.

 _That's the first and last time I ever listen to those two._

Whatever plans he thought he had were over. All hope had been driven out and he felt empty inside. All he had to hold on to now was his uncertainties and fears. The monster that had been hibernating for so long was taking full advantage of Draco's troubled mind and it was coming at him full force.

 _She'll never want to speak to me again, not after she thinks I was trying to hurt her... to keep the truth from her..._

Knowing that his everything only saw him as nothing, he couldn't keep the pain in any longer. Feeling the annoying sting building behind his eyes, he took his wand and waved it again. The only hope he had now was in wising that the silencing charm he put up would work as well as it had in McGonagall's office.

* * *

Even though the sun had set awhile ago, leaving Hermione in complete darkness, she still felt vulnerable and exposed. She had made her way over to the bed and was now watching the hands of the clock tick away the hours. Learning of her parents death had changed everything for her and she knew no matter how much time had passed, she now lived in a world without them.

The pain that was filling her only seemed to intensify with every second. Burying her head in her palms, she could feel herself wanting to cry, but she knew she had nothing left inside of her.

She felt exhausted, detached from reality and stuck in a place where she couldn't ever fathom going back to a life without her parents. No matter how hard she tried, she still couldn't remember anything that had happened in the last few months. However if all she had to look forward to were memories of finding her parents murdered, then she really didn't know if she wanted to.

Suddenly she heard someone approaching her room. Hermione had heard a multitude of footsteps throughout the day pass by. Most of them had stopped just outside her door only for her to hear them turn and walk away. However this time was different. This time when the footsteps stopped, a knock on the door immediately followed.

"Hermione" Tonks voice was almost a whisper, but there was no mistaking who it was. "Are you up?"

Hermione didn't answer at first. Being alone was hard, but she thought talking to the people who had kept this secrete from her would be even harder. What made her answer though was the fact that staying quiet meant being alone with her thoughts, and that was something she just couldn't do anymore.

Her voice cracked as she spoke. "You can come in Tonks."

The door slowly creaked open and her friend took a few steps in. Muttering to herself, the candle that sat in the corner started to glow, illuminating the room. Unable to bring herself to look at Tonks, she began chewing the inside of her cheek while keeping her head buried in her palms.

Tonks wasn't quite sure how to start. Hesitating for a moment, she said "Hermione, I am so sorry that you had to find out about your parents this way. You have to know that we didn't mean to hurt you."

When she didn't get any response from Hermione, Tonks continued to speak. "We were just trying to find the right time to tell you. I promise that we were going to tell you soon."

Hermione listened as her friend began to explain herself and everyone's actions. Her words sounded sincere, but the truth was Hermione couldn't accept her apology. Not yet at least.

When Tonks was done telling her side of the story, Hermione let what she had just heard run through her brain a few times before finally lifting her head to look at her.

Her voice still horse, she met Tonks eyes and said "You should have told me, from the very beginning."

The light was dim in the room, but it was enough for Tonks to see Hermione's bloodshot eyes. The pain was clearly visible in her stare and it was breaking her heart.

"I know I should have. I can't begin to tell you how sorry I am, really we all are, that we didn't tell you sooner. We honestly thought that we were protecting you from the pain of finding out too soon."

Still chewing her cheek, Hermione took a deep breath before speaking. "I don't need protection, I need my friends to be honest with me. I mean, I'm not sure I want to know every detail yet, but.."

Her voice trailed off for a moment before continuing. "Can you tell me a little about that night?"

With her heart sinking into her stomach, Tonks gave Hermione a weak smile. "I can tell you only what I've heard, but I think you should really talk to Draco to get the whole-"

"No."

Hermione's voice was harsh. Shaking her head, she said "He had every chance to talk to me, to tell me the truth and he decided it wasn't worth mentioning the fact that my parents were.."

She hesitated before continuing. The words tasted bitter as they left her tongue.

"Dead. I mean, he apparently was even with me when I found out and he didn't think it was important to tell me."

Tonks frowned. As she listen to Hermione begin to vent not only about Draco, but how hurt she was that even her best friends kept this from her, she began to think about the conversation she had just came from with Draco.

He had used a locking charm to keep everyone out. She had tried to open his door during the day, but when she found it wouldn't budge, she decided to give him some privacy. However as the day wore on, she knew she needed to talk to him. As the sun began to set, she went to try the door one more time. Tonks wasn't surprised when she still couldn't open it.

Sighing, she knocked on the door. "Draco, I'm sure you're up. You can't hide in there forever, can you please open the door?"

When no response came, she grabbed for her wand and waved it across the door. Hearing the door click, she slowly pushed it open and said "I'm coming in."

Stepping into the room, it took her eyes a moment to adjust. Although the vivid orange and red rays of the setting sun filled the room, it only took her a moment to find Draco slouched in a tattered armchair staring out the window. Walking up beside him, she noticed his bloodshot eyes and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Draco.."

He kept his eyes fixed, staring out into what seemed like nothingness. His senses seemed to have disappeared, fading away until it had left him feeling numb. When he suddenly felt the unfamiliar feeling of warmth, it startled him out of his trance.

Barely looking up at Tonks, he muttered "I'm surprised you took this long to take down my charms."

She could hear the pain in his voice, but she knew he was trying to hide it. Half smirking, she said "I figured you'd want to be left alone for awhile, but you know that you can't hide in here forever Draco. I know that Ron owes you an apology, but you have to know you need to be the one to talk to Hermi-"

"I don't want his fucking apology." Draco turned back to stare out the window. "If you really think I locked myself up here because of that prick and his idiotic words, then you're not as smart as I thought you were."

Ignoring Draco's comment, Tonks lifted her hand off of his shoulders. "No, I know that's not why you're upset. I know Hermione isn't all that.. thrilled with you right now, but-"

Draco laughed. "Thrilled? She fucking hates me. She wants nothing to do with me and honestly, right now I hate myself a bit too."

"You can't blame all of this on yourself. We all kept the secret from her, and honestly you're the one who wanted to tell her from the beginning."

"And I didn't. I was an idiot and actually listened to those two." Draco turned his head away from his cousin and closed his eyes. That annoying burning sensation was back and he'd be damned if he let her see.

"I owed her the truth and I kept it from her. Out of everyone, I was the one who was actually with her, I saw everything and I didn't tell her."

Tonks felt her heart breaking. "I know it's going to be hard talking to her when she thinks-"

"I said no." Opening his eyes, he turned back to look at her. "Potter and Weasel get the privilege now. "

Tonks frowned. "You really don't expect them to do it by themselves do you? I mean, I know Ron was an arse, and he really does need to apologies, but they have no idea what happened. You know she's going to have so many questions, questions only you can answer."

Clenching his jaw, Draco could feel his pulse rising. He didn't see the point anymore. Hermione had made it clear how she felt about him and he was done trying to convince anyone that he had changed, that he really did care about her.

Deciding to look away from Tonks, he said "I said my answer. I don't see how I'm going to not only show her who I am now, but make her remember when I won't be able to get anywhere near her. She wants nothing to do with me and I think the best thing I can do now is just respect what she wants."

Furrowing her brow, Tonks said "You really can't think that what you said is the best solution. That's the opposite of a solution, you're just running away from your problems, from her."

Draco began dragging his fingers through his unkempt hair. He didn't have the energy to argue with her, he just knew he wanted to be left alone again.

"Look, I gave you my answer. Just leave what happened between Granger and I out of anything you may tell her. She doesn't need any more disappointment in her life. Now, can you please just leave?"

Tonks took a step back, but it wasn't to leave. It was because she suddenly became disappointed in her cousin.

"You're giving up?" She didn't even bother hiding her displeasure.

Draco didn't respond. Pushing back his hair, he kept his gaze looking out the window, watching as the sun made its final attempt at staying afloat before finally sinking into darkness.

"Are you going to answer me, or just sit there?"

Taking a deep breath, he finally muttered "Can you just go already?"

Hesitating for a moment, Tonks finally turned to start heading out of the room, but stopped just short of the door. Without turning to look back, she said "You know, my mother never spoke much about your family. When I was younger, I knew she had two sisters, but that was about the extent of it until I grew older. What I came to find out about your family was that they were some of the most egotistical, self righteous, morally corrupt people I would have the displeasure of meeting. I've thought this way for years, at least until now."

Still keeping herself facing the door, she continued to say "Both you and your mother have shown me a different side to the Malfoy's that I honestly thought never existed."

Slightly chuckling, she said "Don't get me wrong. From what I can still tell you're stubborn as all hell and you're temper still gets the best of you.."

This time Tonks did turn back to look at Draco. "But you both have shown a strength I never would have expected. You stood up for what was right and you cared about someone other than yourselves."

Waiting to see if a response would come, she wasn't terribly surprised when none did. In an almost pleading voice, she said "Draco, you're stronger than this. I've seen it. You can't just give up now. If you do, you're not only letting yourself down, but you'll be letting Hermione down as well. She needs you to help her remember, whether she realizes it or not."

Draco listened to his cousin tell him what he already knew to be true. Her words pierced through him and he felt sick to his stomach. The burning sensation was becoming too much to contain and he needed her to go before he succumbed to the pain again.

In an almost whisper, he said "Just leave."

Hearing the plea in his voice, Tonks had finally decided to do as he asked. She knew telling Hermione about her relationship with Draco wasn't her place nor would it help the already tense situation, but she also wasn't one to sit back and do nothing.

When Hermione had finally finished telling Tonks how upset she was at Harry and Ron, she knew this was a chance to try and make Hermione see that Draco wasn't who she thought he was.

"I know you're upset with Harry and Ron, and you have every right to be. They both feel just terrible about what they did and I know you may not believe me, but Draco does as well."

Hermione raised her eyebrow. "Malfoy? Oh please, I'm sure he-"

"He was actually the only one who wanted to tell you the very first time you had asked about your parents Hermione."

Shock spread across her face as she tried to find her words. "What?"

"It's true. He actually was just doing what we all asked of him. I know it may be hard to believe right now, but he really does care-"

There was suddenly a knock at the bedroom door. Tonks knew who it was, and although she knew it was time for her two best friends to come and talk to Hermione, she was still frustrated that she couldn't have talked to her a little more about Draco.

Still a little surprised about what Tonks had said about Draco, it took Hermione a moment before she realized there had been a knock at the door. When it came a second time, she looked away from her friend and said "Come in."

As the door slowly opened, Hermione watched as both Harry and Ron came into the room. She didn't notice that Ron was holding a cup of tea until he handed it to her.

"We thought you could use this."

Taking the steaming hot mug in her hands, Hermione gave her two friends a small nod of gratitude. As she brought it up to take a sip, the sweet, floral notes hit her nose before reaching her tongue.

Smiling, she said "You remembered that I take my tea with honey."

As she took another sip, she didn't notice the awkward glance both her friends were sharing with each other. The tea sent a feeling of warmth throughout her and she welcomed the change.

Knowing the three of them had much to talk about, Tonks decided it was time for her to leave. "I'll come back to check on you a little later Hermione. I'm sure Harry and Ron have a lot they want to say to you."

Hermione gave her friend a slight wave as she made her way to the door. "Thank you for coming to check up on me Tonks. We will talk more soon."

Tonks quietly closed the door behind her leaving the Golden-Trio alone at last. Hermione was keeping her eyes on her drink, watching the steam rise up to curl around her face. She could feel the awkwardness start to settle in the room and she was just hoping that either Harry or Ron would speak first.

 _They are the ones who need to explain themselves, not me. I still can't believe they kept something so big from me. I guess I understand that they were trying to find the right time... but the right time was when I had asked about my parents, not days or possibly even weeks later._

After a few more moments of silence, Hermione was relieved when Harry finally spoke up.

"Hermione, we don't even know where to begin. Ron and I are both so sorry that you found out about your parents the way you did."

Still keeping her eyes on her steeping tea, she felt the edge of the bed sink and she knew they had both sat down to join her. Feeling that the right side of her cheek had now been chewed raw, she switched to the left side.

"We were going to tell you, we were just trying to figure out when the right time was." Ron's voice slightly trembled as he spoke.

"You have to believe us when we tell you that we never meant to hurt you, we were just trying to protect you is all."

Hermione quickly felt herself become annoyed. She had wanted to keep quiet, to simply listen to her best friends explain themselves, but that wasn't going to happen.

"That's part of the problem Ron, I would have hoped that my two best friends would have known that I don't need protection. I can handle myself and I deserved to know the truth when I had asked about my parents the first time."

She was now staring at them both, trying to convey with certainty that she was stronger than they seem to give her credit for.

Harry shifted uncomfortably on the bed before speaking. "We know you're strong Hermione, you don't need to convince us of that. I guess it was more of the fact that you had been through hell and back at Malfoy Manor and we just wanted to let you recover from that a little before throwing more at you."

Hermione had set the tea on the nightstand and her fingers were now tapping against her knee. She was still hurt by her friends actions, but she was also tired of being angry at them. What she wanted more than anything now, was answers.

Taking a deep breath, she said "I understand, I do, but you guys have to understand that there is a whole chunk of time that I don't remember and I need people to help me remember what happened during that time, not hide it from me. Whether it was good or bad, I need to know. Besides, maybe something someone tells me will trigger my memories to come back."

"I know, and we will do everything we can to help you Hermione." Harry gave Hermione a small smile. Clearing his throat before speaking, he said "You should understand though that everything we know is just what we have heard. I know that this is going to sound crazy, but you really should consider talking to Malfoy at some point. I mean, he's the one who knows what really happened to you these past few months, not us."

Looking from Harry to Ron who looked less than thrilled at what he was hearing, Hermione took a few deep breaths before responding.

Hating to admit it herself, she nodded her head in agreement. "I know I need to, but I don't think I can do that just yet. It's too... strange to think that he was with me when I found my parents or even the fact that we have been spending these last few months together."

Closing her eyes for a moment, she tried again to remember anything she could about her supposed time with Draco, but nothing came. Frustrated, she opened them back up and said "I think for now though, I'd like it if you guys could just tell me what you know about my parents, not all the details, but just... "

She could feel the tears start to build again behind her eyes. Swallowing the soft sob that was trying to escape, she said "I think starting with how I found them and if you know where their bodies are would be a good start for now."

Hermione sat silently, listening to her friends begin to tell her who had been the ones to murder her parents as tears slowly began to roll down her cheeks.

* * *

It had been a few days since Hermione had learned about her parents. The exact details of that night were still something to be learned, but for the most part Hermione was able to understand what had happened. Harry and Ron had told her that her and Draco had somehow known to go looking for her parents and found them murdered in her family home. It had been Dolohov and Greyback who had done it and when she found out the reason for their visit to her parents it nearly made her ill.

Trying to keep her words steady, Hermione asked "Do you know what happened to my parents bodies?"

"I was told that you buried them under a willow tree, though I don't know exactly where that tree is."

Hermione however knew instantly what tree he was speaking of. Since that night, she had been avoiding learning any more details about her parents death. She had told Harry and Ron that she needed some time to process everything and that she would rather start focusing back on what they were going to do now that the three of them were finally back together.

Autumn was making its presence known, bringing with it cold winds and cloudy skies. The breeze coming off the shore forced its way into every tiny crack in the house that it could. Hermione had regained most of her strength back and the rest of her bruises had healed. Ron's however seemed to have become even more prominent, turning a deep shade of purple and yellow.

The three friends were now spending most of their days and nights hidden away in Hermione's room. While they came down to join Luna and the others for breakfast and dinner, they kept what they were talking about to themselves. However, Ron did make it a point to have a few breaks so he could spend a few moments with Luna down by the water. He was helping her find what Hermione could only imagine by her friend's description of them as something that resemble a glowing sort of crab creature. Even though she knew Ron thought searching for these supposed animals a little silly, she found it sweet that he at least tried.

Seeing as they were still stuck at the cottage until Ron's arm healed, they knew they could at least start planning and discussing where they would go once he was strong enough to apparate again. Hermione had started combing through the books that had somehow ended up in her bag, hoping to find any information she could on horcruxes. Even when Harry and Ron would leave and head to their own rooms to sleep at night, she continued to read and take notes, trying to keep as busy as possible. She found if she would try to sleep or even take a break from searching, she began to dwell on all the questions she still had about her parents death.

The few times she had been able to drift off, it had ended the same way each time. Nightmares of her screaming or the overwhelming smell of blood would startle her awake. Each nightmare seemed to becoming a little less blurry, but was her surroundings become more clear, the more nervous she became to see what the truth really held for her.

A storm had crept in during the night as the three friends once again found themselves sitting in Hermione's room, pouring over books and discussing where and what Voldemort could have used as a horcrux.

"Damn lighting, it makes me jump every time I swear." Ron tossed his third book of the night into a pile that they had already read. "Damn these books too, most of them I can't even read because they are either in some ridiculous language or are just too bloody long to get through."

Hermione yawned as she too placed another book into the pile. "I told you, I'll read the ones that need translating. Just focus on the once with titles that could have anything to do with horcruxes."

"Why are we even looking? We now have something that can destroy them, why even bother trying to read every single book when we have the sword?"

Hermione slightly rolled her eyes. "I know we have the sword now, but maybe we will find something else useful. It doesn't hurt to find out anything and everything we can Ron."

Harry closed the book he was working on and gathered up the notes they had done for the evening in to a pile. Feeling the tension begin to build between his two friends, he had the feeling it was time to call it a night.

"It is getting late, we should all try to get a little sleep and start fresh in the morning."

Quickly agreeing, Ron was the first to stand and stretch. "Sounds good to me, I'm bloody exhausted."

Heading for the door, Ron turned and said "Hermione, will you promise to at least try and get some sleep tonight? I'm sure Bill and Fleur has something around here to help you if you want."

Hermione shook her head. "Thank you, but I'm alright. I've honestly been able to sleep a little every night."

Ron gave her a smile. "Good. You coming Harry?"

"Yeah, I'll be right there."

As Ron said goodnight to Hermione and left the room, she looked suspiciously at Harry. "What's on your mind?"

"Hermione, how are you really sleeping?"

Confused by his question, she asked "What do you mean?"

Harry gave her a knowing look. "You almost fell asleep twice tonight as you were reading, and don't take this the wrong way, but you look as if you haven't slept in days. What's going on?"

Looking at her friend, she knew there was no convincing him of something other than the truth. Fumbling with the corner of the page she was on with her fingers, she said "Alright, so I haven't actually been sleeping the greatest, but I promise I'm alright. I just..."

She paused for a moment before continuing. "I have a lot on my mind is all, and I really want to try and get through all these books. We have been at this for days and we have hardly made a dent in them."

Harry gave her a small smile. "You know that if you need to talk about anything, we are both here for you."

Giving him a smile back, she said "I know, thank you Harry. I promise though, I will try to sleep tonight. I don't think I will be able to keep my eyes open much longer anyways. You should get to bed, we have another long day ahead of us tomorrow."

Nodding in agreement, Harry stood to leave when he was stopped by Hermione's voice.

"Harry, there is one thing that I have been wanting to ask you guys, it's actually something Tonks had said the other day."

Turning to look at his friend, he said "What's that?"

"She said that Malfoy actually wanted to tell me about my parents at the very beginning and the only reason he didn't was because you guys had asked him not too. Is that true?"

Watching Harry suddenly become tense, he looked away from her before answering. "Yeah, it's true. I know you haven't wanted to talk to him yet, but I really think you should soon. I think he can answer all the questions that have been keeping you up at night."

A little surprised that Harry was encouraging her to talk to Malfoy again, she said "I know, I will. I haven't even seen him these past few days, I'm not sure how he feels after everything that happened the other day in the kitchen."

"He's just being Malfoy, probably sulking in his room or something. Just, really consider going to talk to him alright?"

Agreeing to his question, Hermione was about to say goodnight when Harry said "I've been wanting to tell you something and I'm not really sure why I haven't yet, but you should know that the other day when we brought you the drink, it was actually Malfoy that reminded us about you taking honey with your tea."

Hermione felt her heart skip a beat as Harry confessed. Lost for words, she was barely able to ask "Why would he know that?"

"Believe me, I was just as shocked as you were. Try and get some sleep okay?"

The only thing she could do was nod her head. Hearing Harry say goodnight, she watched as he left her room, leaving her mind with more questions than it could hold.

 _Why the hell would Malfoy know anything about me, especially the fact that I take honey with my tea?_

Needing to distract herself once again by the overwhelming amount of questions that were consuming her, she reached for the closest book and began another long night.

* * *

Draco had listened to the storm make its approach for hours before the rain began to slowly drum against the cottage. As another flash of light crossed over the night sky, it was quickly accompanied by a loud clap of thunder. Draco had propped his bedroom window open to allow the howling winds to bring in the strong, damp sea air. He lay still on his bed, looking up at the ceiling and watching as the shadows would appear and then vanish with each new wave of lightning.

It had been almost an hour since he had heard any footsteps in the hallway. He knew everyone had probably went to bed and he would soon make his way to the kitchen. Draco had been spending his time hidden away in his room until he was sure there would be no one around to bother him. While he was glad that the house was his to roam this late at night, the one thing he hated was having to pass Hermione's room on the way downstairs. Each night when he finally adventured out of his room, it was always the same.

The light to Hermione's room would be on, but luckily the door was always shut. As he quietly walked past, although it was faint, he could still make out the soft sobs coming from inside the room. It took everything in him to keep walking and not knock on her door, but he figured he would only make her pain worse. Making sure he was back in his room before dawn, it was just as painful to listen to going back.

He'd had a few visitors since his talk with Tonks. Both Blaise and Theo had tried to convince him to come out and go talk to Hermione, but when all that came from Draco was silence, his two friends knew nothing they said would change his mind.

"Come on mate, I know her finding out about her parents like that wasn't the best way, but you need to go talk to her. Fuck what Weasel said, when have you ever given a damn about what those idiots say?"

Draco watched as Theo paced up and down his room. Blaise was sitting in the corner, seeming a little bored with the topic of conversation.

"Don't waste your breath Theo, Draco has never been one to change his mind once it has been made up. Remember that time we tried to convince him that it wasn't a good idea to get involved with Parkinson and he did it anyways? We all saw how that turned out."

Draco shot Blaise a disgusted look. Seeing his friend slyly smirk, Blaise asked "What, too soon?"

His mother had also visited his room, but when all she received was a few grunts of acknowledgement and some head nods, she too decided it was pointless to try to change her son's mind when it was made up.

"Draco, I won't sit here and pretend that I understand what you're feeling, but what I can tell you is sitting in here doing nothing won't solve anything. Your cousin filled me in on some of what happened, and while I admit that it doesn't look good now, you can't give up."

Narcissa was giving her son a hopeful stare, but all she got in return was a look of heartache and grief. Seeing that talking to him would get her nowhere, she had left him alone.

As more lightning illuminated the night sky, Draco was about to leave and head downstairs when suddenly he heard small footsteps heading towards his room. When a small knock came at his door, he waited to see who it was.

"Draco, I'm pretty sure you're still awake. Can I come in?"

Hearing his mother's voice, he waved his wand and the clicking of the door told her it was alright to come in.

"I've heard you leave your room every night around this time so I figured it would be the best time to try and talk to you again. I wanted to come ask you about something."

Raising his eyebrow, he nodded to her to continue.

"Severus and Tonks came to see me this morning to talk with me. He wanted to tell me that he was able to make sure that he would be the one to do 'surprise' visits to Ande's home to see if anyone is hiding out there. This means that if I wanted to go see my sister it will be safe to do so. I was hoping that you'd be alright if I went to stay with her for a little while, especially since her husband is still on the run somewhere. I think she could use some company. I believe a few of the people who were trapped in our dungeon will be coming with me as well, this house is quickly becoming a little too cramped."

Draco listened to his mother speak. He agreed that it would be best for her to go visit his sister for a little while and help her where she could.

"When are you leaving?"

"Soon, probably early this morning. Tonks said she would take me once she brought a few others over. I told her I wanted to come talk to you first about it and make sure it was alright."

Nodding his head, he slouched back on to the bed. He could tell his mother wanted to ask something else, but it seemed she was hesitating to speak. Letting off a sigh, he said "What is it mother?"

Coming over to sit next to her son, she gave a small smile before saying "Have you finally come to your senses about talking to Hermione?"

Draco rolled his eyes in annoyance. "I told you already that I wasn't planning on being the one to initiate anything. If she wants to talk then she'll-"

"Oh really Draco, don't be so thick." She gave her son a disappointing glare. "You know it isn't her fault that she can't remember what you two shared. If anything, she is going to need your help remember what you two had."

When all she received from Draco was silence, she added "You're stubborn Draco, this I know to be true, but don't let something so trivial come in the way of something that I know means a great deal to you."

Listening to his mother's words, Draco sat in silence. He knew that it wasn't his stubbornness that stood in his way. It was knowing that the small window of opportunity he had once had to show her who he now was now shut and locked. It was the look of pure hatred that she had given him that made him feel like all hope was lost.

Narcissa watched her son become lost in thought as she spoke to him. She could see the pain start to build behind his eyes again and she felt helpless. She wanted to get through to him, but she also knew that pushing her son wasn't the solution.

Sighing in defeat, she said "I'll stop with the motherly advice talk now, I can see that it isn't doing any good."

Before she left him to be alone with his thoughts, she said "I know I wasn't always the best mother to you Draco. I promise you that I tried my best to give you everything I could, everything you have ever wanted. I may not have been the best role model either, but if I can pass anything on to you now, I want it to be what I have recently learned."

Taking Draco's hand in hers, she gently squeezed it before continuing. "When everything around you is changing, and you feel like you're barely able to hold on, you have to remember that standing still and doing nothing can sometimes cause you more pain than when you started. Watching the life you could have had pass you by is no way to live Draco, and I would hope you know by now that if you want anything in this life, you have to sometimes fight for it no matter how painful it is. You may walk away more wounded than when you started, but at least you'll know that you tried."

Smiling at her son, she added "I know you're hurting Draco, but you have to remember that she is hurting even more. Sometimes the strongest thing you can do is to realize that sometimes we have to put aside our own pain to help the ones you love."

Draco had to remind himself to breath. Even though he hated hearing it, he knew she was right. All he could do was give her hand a small squeeze back in acknowledgement because at that moment he knew if he opened his mouth, all the pain that was keeping trapped inside would be released.

His mother gave her son one last hopeful smile and then said her goodbyes. She told him that she would try to come back to the cottage soon once she knew her sister was doing better.

As she stood to leave, she asked "I have noticed that these past few nights, your two favorite people have been spending most of their time locked away in Hermione's room. Any idea what they are up to in there?"

Smirking, Draco said "Noticed? I presume you mean you've been trying to eaves drop, seeing as how your usually daily dose of gossip with your friends has now dried up."

"Really Draco? You make me out to be this twelve year old school girl sometimes." Eyeing her son, she said "I was just curious is all."

Taking a moment before answering, he thought to himself what could the Golden-Trio be talking about behind closed doors. He had a pretty good idea on what the topic of conversation was, but he knew he couldn't tell his mother.

Shaking his head, he said "Sorry, no idea."

Seeing a small twinge of disappointment in his mother's eyes, she said "Like I said, just curious. I will see you soon. You can now sneak downstairs for you late night walk around the house."

Watching his mother leave, Draco said goodbye. He heard her make her way upstairs and back to her room. Wanting to head downstairs sooner than later, he pushed himself off the bed and headed out into the hallway.

He was preparing himself to walk past her door and hear the soft cries, but as he made it down the hallways, he realized something was different.

 _Her door is open._

He was rooted to the ground, only a few feet from her room. The door was just barley ajar, but it was enough to let a sliver of the warm light coming from the room escape. As he listened, all he heard was silence.

 _Maybe she was finally able to fall asleep..._

As he listened closer though, he could faintly make out the rustle of a page being turned and the furious sound of a quill scratching parchment.

Grinning to himself, he whispered "I should have known."

As he was about to make his way silently past her room, something his mother said made him stop.

 _You have to sometimes fight for what you want no matter how painful it is.. Sometimes the strongest thing you can do is to realize that sometimes we have to put aside our own pain to help the ones you love_

His body tensed. Every muscle was telling him to keep walking past her door. He knew seeing her look at him with the same disgusted stare would kill him.

 _This isn't about you though, it's about her. Just go and try to talk to her. Even if she kicks you out, at least you tried right?_

He could hear his pulse pounding in his ears. Hesitating to take the final few steps towards her room, he slowly reached out to knock on her door.

* * *

Hermione tossed another book aside in frustration. Looking down at her scribbled notes, she could see her penmanship become less and less legible as the night wore on. Rubbing two fingers between the bridge of her nose, she laid back against the headboard.

 _Godric this going to take forever to get through all of these books._

Looking at the stacks of books around her, she was trying to decide which one to try next when she heard a small knock at her door. Confused on who it could be this late at night, she said "Come in."

As her door slowly opened, her heart practically fell from her chest when she saw who it was.

Taking a few steps inside, Draco saw the color start to drain from Hermione's face. Trying to not let her disappointment get to him, he said "I saw your light was on, I figured you couldn't sleep either. I hope I'm not intruding."

Hermione couldn't help but notice how 'un-Malfoy' Draco looked. His hair wasn't pushed back like usual. His once porcelain skin was now slightly dull and tired looking and his jaw had a few days worth of stubble on it. Realizing he had asked her a question, she quickly shook her head.

"No, I was up."

Draco decided to take a few more steps into the room. Looking around at the pile of books everywhere, he said "I see you decided to do a bit of light reading tonight."

Hermione gave him a small smirk. "I guess you could say that."

He could see that she was trying to be as discrete as possible to hide the piles of notes she had been making. Pretending not to notice, he said "Reading anything interesting?"

She was more than a little confused now as to why he decided to come see her, but for some reason she was also a little glad that he did.

"Not particularly."

Hermione knew she was coming off a little short with him. She was still somewhat upset with him for keeping her parents death a secret, but she also knew that he hadn't done it by choice.

Picking up one book at a time, Draco began looking at the various titles until he came to one leather bound book in particular. Keeping it in his hands, he started to flip through the worn pages.

Feeling the awkwardness start to settle in the room, Draco said "I won't keep you Granger, I was just passing by and noticed the light-"

"Tonks told me that you had wanted to tell me about my parents from the beginning." Hermione blurted out the words before she could stop herself. Seeing the surprised look on Draco's face, she said "I just... want to apologize for the other day. I shouldn't have assumed that you were keeping it from me just to hurt me."

Feeling his heart race, Draco tried to stay calm. Her words were sincere and her eyes were no longer filled with disappointment that he so feared. What was worse though was the slightly pink hue that now blushed her cheeks.

 _Is she actually... embarrassed?_

Keeping the book in hand, Draco said "Don't worry about it Granger. I guess I can't really blame you for thinking like that can I?"

Watching a small smile creep across her face, he decided to broach the subject that they both were trying to avoid.

"I know that you probably aren't ready to hear everything just yet, but I want you to know that when you are ready, if you have any questions about your parents, or really anything about these last few months, I'll be here to tell you when you want me to be."

Hermione's muscles froze. It felt strange to have Malfoy offer to help her, but something about the way he was looking at her made her feel like he was being serious. Knowing she had to respond to his gesture, she simply nodded.

"Well," he said "I will leave you to your books." Before turning to leave, he handed her the book he had been holding onto for the past few minutes.

"I'd stay away from this one though, it has some pretty disturbing topics in there."

Hermione took the book from Draco's hand. Looking at the barely visible title, she read it out loud.

"Secrets of the Dark Arts? You've read this before?"

Nodding, he said "Yeah, I've actually have read a good number of these books before. I just thought I would warn you it talks about some pretty dark and even forbidden magic in there. I don't think it's quiet the bed time story you're looking for."

Trying to hide his smile, he could see Hermione's eyes light up and knew his plan had worked. Turning to leave, he hesitated for just a moment in the door frame before turning back around.

"Oh and by the way Granger, happy birthday."

Hermione's look of hidden excitement turned into pure shock. With everything that had been going on, she had even forgotten what day it was.

 _How in Merlin's name did he know that?_

Watching as Malfoy began to shut the door behind him, Hermione called out to him.

"Malfoy wait!"

The blonde wizard pushed the door back open and looked at her with his silver eyes. Biting the inside of her cheek, she said "If you're not too tired right now, I would actually like to ask you a few questions."

* * *

Note: So I'll be honest, Pokemon Go sort of took over my life there for a few weeks.. sorry it took me a little longer to post this chapter! I did make it a little longer though to hopefully make up for it

Happy early birthday to Harry! After I post this chapter, I will be on my way to a release party for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child! I'm sure we have all been counting down the days, I just can't believe it is finally here! *does a little jump of excitement*

Thank you all for the new favs/follows and reviews! This was a sort of turning point for both Draco and Hermione and we are going to start getting in to the "horcrux hunt" Now if only Hermione could get back her memories! ;-)

I hope everyone has a great weekend! Once midnight hits, sleep will not be a priority :)

- _Toujours._


	24. Chapter 24: Familiar

**Wounded**

Chapter 24: Familiar

Hermione was a little surprised when Draco's immediate response was "Of course." She could have sworn she had even heard a slight eagerness in his voice.

Taking a few steps back into the room, Draco softly shut the door behind him and made his way back over towards the eager witch.

"Are you sure you're up for this now? If you want to try and get some sleep, I promise we can talk first thing in the morning-"

Hermione shook her head. "No I'm fine, thank you though." Propping herself farther up on to the bed, she began organizing some of the chaos that had been spread across it. She made sure to keep the book Draco had warned her about close by so she wouldn't lose it in the sea of leather bound literature.

"I guess if it's alright with you, I will start by telling you what I remember."

Draco watched as Hermione pulled back her hair and began working it into a loose braid. As she finished, a few curls broke free of her hold and gently fell to frame her face. Needing to fight the urge to tuck them behind her ear, he gave his fingers a different task and pushed back his own hair.

Raising a curious eyebrow, he asked "Have you started to get some of your memories back?"

Hermione sighed. "No, not exactly. The last thing I can clearly remember is you and I being in Professor McGonagall's office, talking about you coming with me to the Burrow. We were waiting for Dobby to come take us there and then.."

Pausing, she closed her eyes for a moment before speaking again. "It's a little fuzzy, but I remember some type of commotion coming from somewhere in the castle and Professor McGonagall telling us to leave."

Opening her eyes back up, she said "Everything after that is a blur. I can remember some sounds and 'feelings' I guess you can call them, but they all make it seem like nothing good has happened in these last few months."

Draco watched the look of despair creep across her face. What pained him next was seeing her fingers lightly trace over her still healing 'Mudblood' scar and slightly wince. Although it had been almost a week since his aunt had attacked her, the jagged words that had been carved into her skin still seemed as if they were putting up a fight to heal. The bleeding had stopped, but the healing process seemed to be slower than normal and he knew it was because of the spell his aunt had used.

 _The only thing she is good at is causing pain, and making sure that pain sticks around for as long as fucking possible._

Clenching his jaw, Draco took a few deep breaths before whispering "I'm so sorry."

It was quiet, but Hermione heard him speak. Lifting her doleful eyes towards Draco, she studied him for a moment before saying "Excuse me?"

Trying to slow down his racing heart, he took another deep breath. "I'm sorry, for what my aunt did to you." He nodded in the direction of her arm. "I should have stopped it. I should have found a way to reach you in time and prevented anything from happening."

Hermione was a little surprised she was hearing Malfoy apologize for what had happened to her in his house. Harry and Ron had filled her in on what they knew from that night. They had told her that she had been tortured by Bellatrix for information on her friends whereabouts and that she had used Legilimency on her to try and retrieve the information she believed Hermione was keeping secret. Hermione also knew that Draco and herself had been captured together, but the reason they had been together in the first place was still a mystery to her.

"I'm sure there wasn't much you could have done, and I'm sure it wasn't your fault that we ended up there. Seeing as how you're now a 'blood traitor', going back home is not something I'm sure you would have done willingly."

Draco gave Hermione a small smile. Even though she couldn't remember, he knew the truth. He was still blaming himself for their capture. Every night he replayed what happened over and over in his head.

 _If only I had taken you somewhere else, or hell not even have taken you out of the security of your family's cabin at all. I should have known the moment I saw Pansy we needed to leave... I just hope that when you do finally remember what happened that morning, you can forgive me._

Hermione watched Draco's mind wander farther and farther away. She had been told that Malfoy had changed, but it was still a little strange to see just how much he had. The last time she remember being alone in a room with him was back at school. There he had seemed cold, distant and uncaring, but that wasn't the case anymore.

 _The complete opposite actually._

Understanding the look of someone who had become lost in their own thoughts, Hermione decided to try and pull him out before those thoughts buried him.

"You still alright if I ask you some questions?"

Meeting her concerned amber eyes, Draco nodded. "Yeah, I think I owe you at least that much Granger."

Keeping her eyes locked with his silvery stare, Hermione smiled. "Alright then, I guess we should get started."

* * *

Mother nature was refusing to be ignored as the storm continued late into the night. The winds hissed louder, the waves grew taller and the rain hit harder against the cottage walls with no signs of letting up. Lighting sent cracks deep into the darkness and thunder rolled across the unfavorable skies as Hermione finally began to piece together all the unanswered questions that had been weighing on her mind.

She had started at the beginning, asking where they had went after they left Hogwarts. Draco explained to her that McGonagall had given them a port key which took them to Snape's childhood home which only spurred more questions.

"Why in Godric's name did she have a port key to Snape's house? Is that where we have been all these months? Also, why-"

"Whoa there Granger." Draco slightly chuckled. "One question at a time."

Draco did the best he could at answering all of her questions. He explained their brief stay at Snape's house, carefully excluding a few details that involved the two of them. He did however tell her where the small library of books came from.

"You thought you were so sneaky Granger, but it takes a little more than a few drinks to get anything past me."

Hermione playfully rolled her eyes. "So all these books came from Snape's house?" She picked up one of the books on her bed and slowly began studying it. "I guess that makes sense. I'm sure he has every Dark Arts book ever written there. So I just stole these then?"

"Oh no, that bloody Gryffindor integrity of yours would never allow you to actually steal anything. If fact," Draco smirked as he spoke. "I'm actually a little impressed at what you did. You knew I'd notice if Snape's entire library suddenly vanished. Want to guess at what you did?"

Still looking at the book in her hand, she thought carefully about what Malfoy had said. When it finally hit her, she spoke just above a whisper. "Gemino."

It was soft, but Draco heard her. Smiling, he said "Correct. I must say, it was a pretty clever idea."

As much as she tried, Hermione couldn't hide her smile. "You do realize you're giving me a compliment don't you?"

Draco shrugged. "I give credit where credit is due, especially if they appeal to my Slytherin side."

Hermione's heart sank. "What do you mean?"

He watched as her cheeks flushed with irritation. Laughing, he said "Take it as a compliment Granger. I mean nothing offensive by it. Just saying you were able to pull one over on me, for awhile at least."

Her foot started to tap in annoyance. "I wouldn't necessarily call what I did 'Slytherin-esque'. Besides, it really doesn't take much to pull one over on you Malfoy."

She dropped her voice down to make sure he didn't hear her say "I mean for Merlin's sake, you didn't even realize that you weren't actually talking to your friends."

Draco was sure he wasn't suppose to hear what she was saying under her breath, so instead he raised an eyebrow and said "Sorry Granger, didn't quite catch that."

Giving him an over the top smile, she said "Oh it's nothing. I was just thinking back to when Ginny told me how easy it was to distract you long enough to jinx you with that Bat-Bogey Hex back in fifth year. I just wish I could have seen her handy work for myself, although she did paint me a pretty decent picture. "

Finding it difficult to hide his amusement, he had to bite the inside of his lip to keep himself from grinning.

 _Someone's feeling feisty tonight, I like it._

Hermione thought it best to continue with her questions before he was able to respond. She asked about a few more things concerning the two of them staying at Snape's house when Draco warned her what was coming next.

"So, how did we go from living a Snape's to finding my parents?"

Draco hesitated for a moment before answering. "I promised you I'd answer all your question, and I still intend to keep that promise. I just need you to know that the next part of the journey may be a little difficult to hear."

Hermione folded her arms as she lightly scoffed under her breath. "You know, I'm getting a little tired of people thinking that I can't handle hearing what happened."

At some point during their earlier conversation, Hermione had told Draco he could join her while they talked. He had taken a seat at the edge of her bed and they both were close enough now that without thinking, Draco placed a reaffirming hand on her arm.

"Granger, this isn't about you not being strong enough or me not having faith in you to be able to hear what I have to say. All I was getting at was if you need to take a break or you need me to explain something better just let me know."

The warmth Hermione suddenly felt from Draco's skin quickly spread throughout her body, sending a shiver along her spine. As she met his eyes, she couldn't help but feel like there was something very familiar about his touch.

When Draco suddenly realized what he had done, he quickly removed his hand. "Sorry, I didn't mean to do that."

With the room feeling just a little bit colder than what Hermione remember it being a moment ago, she shook her head and said "No, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. I just, I'm ready to hear what really happened that night. Please, tell me everything you can remember."

"I will." Draco was about to begin when he added "Just, remember that needing to stop or take a break doesn't make you weak Granger. Sometimes it's just good to take a breath before moving forward again."

Nodding her head in understanding, she began to listen as Malfoy started to describe one of the worst nights of her life.

* * *

As much as the sun wanted to signal the start of a new day, the dark, merciless clouds continued to strangle the light into the early morning. The storm was giving no indication of letting up any time soon and neither was Hermione's determination to listen to the entirety of the events that happened the night she had found her parents.

Draco began by telling her that they had been hiding from Bellatrix when they'd overheard her talking about how Dolohov and Greyback were sent to question her parents about any information they may of had on the Golden Trio's whereabouts. He explained that once Hermione had heard this, she almost instantly apparated to her parents house. Draco tried reaching out to her, trying to convince her to think before she acted, but by the time he managed to grab a hold of her arm it was too late. Once they were both at her parent's house, he recounted every detail. From the unnerving sound of silence that had filled her home which was only disrupted by glass cracking underneath their feet, to the overwhelming smell of blood that warned them of what they were about to find.

Hermione listened intently, saving all questions until the end. She wanted to hear every detail and was afraid if she interrupted, Malfoy would lose his spot and forget to mention something. Her eyes filled with the all too familiar sting of pain and hatred with each word that fell from his lips, but she was determined to hold them back. However, this was becoming harder to do once he began talking about both how and where she had found her parents. Feeling her chest tightening, she had to force herself to take long, deep breaths.

Draco felt as if he was tearing Hermione's heart out. His words were acting as the knife which slowly twisting further in the longer he spoke. As much as he hated it though, he knew she deserved to hear the truth. After explaining how he had helped her upstairs and briefly touched on the fact she had somewhat of a panic attack ("understandably so"), he ended by telling her once she had showered he had helped her to bed.

"After you had fallen asleep, I drifted off in one of the chairs in your room."

As he finally took the first break from talking in over an hour and waited for Hermione to speak, he realized just how loud the wind was howling as it made its way through the open window. He could see the torment that had glossed over in her eyes and it killed him knowing there was nothing he could do for her.

Letting the last of Malfoy's words sink in, Hermione soon realized it had been a few minutes since he had said anything. His cool, grey eyes were locked onto her and while usually she felt like his stares were filled with annoyance or disgust, this time was different.

 _Is he actually worried about me?... No, there's no way... this is Malfoy we are talking about here..._

But even Hermione was having a hard time convincing herself as she continued to stare into his all too candid eyes. Needing to break their shared connection before she began to over think the situation, she finally asked "You mentioned that I had some sort of a panic attack, what exactly happened, what did I do?"

Draco hesitated for a moment before answering. "I told you that you were covered in their blood, but when you really realized what I was saying, it seemed like it had stained your skin and wouldn't wash off."

He hesitated again. Draco had told himself that when retelling their last few months together, he'd leave out anything that could indicate they had built a relationship. Not only did he think she wouldn't believe him even if he told her, he also believed that showing her instead of telling her seemed like a better way to try and bring back her memories.

Hermione asked "So how did I finally get it off?"

"Well," Draco said. "I tried to calm you down, but you asked me to help you get it off. I don't think you knew what to do so I did the only thing I could think of."

Eyeing him, she asked "Which was what?"

Like ripping off a band aid, he quickly said "I turned on your shower, pulled you in with me and we sort of sat there until it all finally came off."

He watched as Hermione's cheeks once again flush. Out of pure curiosity to see how'd she react, he added "To clarify, I mean until all the blood had come off, not your clothes."

Hermione reached out and landed a quick slap on his shoulder. "I never even thought the latter." Rolling her eyes, she said "I'm just sort of surprised that you'd do that for me."

Seeing Malfoy look a little pleased with his ability to rile her up, she said "Besides, we all know Draco Malfoy wouldn't dare cheat on his girlfriend. I think if she ever found out her precious 'Slytherin Prince' was with anyone else, she'd hex anyone and everyone. You do have interesting tastes in women, I'll say that."

Raising an eyebrow in confusion, Draco said "Girlfriend?"

"Oh, sorry" Hermione quickly said. "I don't really know what you're relationship now is with Pansy since you left, but I just assumed that when you ran you two were still together."

Draco's heart sank straight down into his stomach where it processed to be disintegrated by acid. He was trying to not let Hermione see how disgusted he was at the thought, knowing that she didn't know yet who had brought down hell upon them.

"I've heard that Parkinson had been running her mouth about us being a couple, but I can assure you that isn't the case. I never want anything to do with that bitch for as long as I live and I swear to Salazar if I ever do see her again, she better fucking run."

Hermione was a little shocked at the tone Malfoy was now using. Knowing she had said something she shouldn't have, she said "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have assumed. I didn't mean to bring up any-"

"Granger, don't you dare apologize." Draco knew he had come across a little too strong with his comment. Quickly changing the subject, he said "Look, there's still a lot to tell you, but I think we have definitely covered a good amount tonight. Besides, I think it would be a good idea if we both tried to get at least a few hours of sleep."

As Draco began to stand up off the bed, without thinking Hermione placed a hand on his arm and said "But I have so many questions to ask you!" Talking through a yawn, she managed to say "I swear I'm not even tired."

Smirking at both her determination and stubbornness, Draco said "I made a promise to you Granger and I'm not going anywhere. We will get to your questions and I will tell you all about how we ended up spending the rest of the time at your family cabin and-"

"We went to our cabin? You mean it was just you and me there for months?"

Draco couldn't help himself again when he said "You seem concerned that it was just the two of us there, what do you think happened?"

Hermione could feel her cheeks instantly go red. Although she would never admit it to anyone but herself, she couldn't refute the argument that Draco Malfoy was handsome. Problem was, he was also well aware of his good looks and she wasn't about to feed his already large ego.

Refusing to let his question make her falter, she quickly removed her hand from his and replied "Don't make me laugh Malfoy. There's no way anything would ever happen between us. Only in your dreams would you ever be lucky enough to get my attention anyways."

Loving the fact that although Hermione was trying to deny any chance of anything ever happening between them, she couldn't hide the pinkish hue that now blushed her cheeks he had come to know all too well.

 _I guess I am pretty lucky then Granger._

Draco stood from the bed. "Well after that blow to my self-esteem, I think that's my cue to leave."

Hermione started to bite at her cheeks as she watched Malfoy head to her door. Their whole night together started to replay quickly in her head. Not only had she had a conversation with the blonde haired wizard that didn't end with her wanted to hex him to Hogsmeade and back, but it had felt almost natural to do. They had been more than civil with each other.

 _I can't put my finger on exactly how or why, but it definitely feels like our whole dynamic with each other has changed. Not once did he insult me or say something that made me want to punch him. I think... I think he actually does care about me._

Just as Draco went to grab the doorknob, Hermione's voice made him turn back around.

"I promise I'm not tired if you want to keep talking."

Giving her a small smile, Draco said "Like I said, I'm not going anywhere. You'll know everything soon enough."

 _And hopefully remember as well._

Blinking a few times, Hermione finally nodded in acceptance.

"Try and get some sleep. Are you going to be alright after hearing everything?"

Giving him a small smile back, she said "Yeah, I'll be fine."

Draco knew she was probably going to read the book she had slipped under her pillow the moment he left. He felt better knowing that she at least now knew some of the truth that had been kept from her for too long. Giving her a nod, he said "Night Granger."

As Hermione watch the door open and then close, she slouched back into her bed. Her room felt strangely empty now with only the harsh winds to fill the void.

 _I probably should have thanked him for telling me everything.. I'll have to remember to do that._

As a shiver crawled down her spine from the chill of the storm, she proceeded to pull back the covers and slip in between the sheets. Reaching under her pillow, she pulled out the book Malfoy had warned her about.

Flipping through the pages, she fought back another yawn. "Let's hope I find something useful in here."

Laughing to herself, she muttered "If I do end up finding something, I guess I'll have two things to thank Malfoy for."

As she began reading the first page, she wasn't aware that her eyes were becoming harder and harder to keep open.

 _How ironic would it be if Malfoy was the reason I finally found something on horcruxes?_

* * *

Draco had been able to drift off for a few hours after returning to his room thanks to an all too quick release he had found beforehand. Hermione's bashful filled expression had made something deep within him ache for her touch, but unfortunately for him his own was going to have to do for the time being.

As he rolled over in his bed, his eyes lazily blinked open. While the sun was still not able to shine through the curtain of clouds, he couldn't hear the hard pounding of rain against the house anymore. Although he had found a moment of escape and a few short hours of sleep, Draco knew those moments were going to be few and far between. He had always found people who say that they couldn't fall asleep without their partner utterly ridiculous and mocked them mercilessly for it. However, as much as it annoyed him to admit, it seemed like without Hermione's intoxicating sweet smelling warmth next to him at night, sleep would continue to elude him.

 _I guess last night could have gone a lot worse. All things considered, I'd say that was actually the best conversation with Granger I could have hoped for._

Suddenly, Draco heard footstep approaching his room. He knew it wouldn't be long before a knock would follow.

"Hey, lazy arse, you up?"

Closing his eyes for a moment, he pressed his fingers into his temple as he responded to Theo's annoyingly cheery voice.

"Well if I wasn't before I most certainly would be now. What do you want?"

Without asking permission, his friend decided on his own that it'd be ok to enter the room.

"You really have no sense of boundaries do you?"

Grinning, Theo said "I knocked first didn't I? That should count for something."

Sitting up, Draco reached for his shirt that sat at the bottom on the bed and began pulling it up his arms. "What counts is doing what comes after the question 'Can I come in', which you also conveniently forgot to ask."

Pulling open the window curtains, Theo waved off Draco's remark. "Yeah, yeah, next time I see my old man I'll mention to him that he spent a little too much time focusing on really 'instilling' those Pureblood ideologies with his son when he should have paid more attention on proper etiquette and manners."

Draco ran his fingers through his hair a few times as he watched his friend punch his fist into the palm of his hand understanding what he was implying. Although the two boys had the same upbringing in the sense that their families had ties to the Dark Lord and both their father's were Death Eaters, the way they were each raised into the world of Dark Magic was completely different. Theo's father found brute force and threats to be the most effective way of raising his son.

Watching Theo circled back to the front of the room, Draco did the last button on his shirt and refastened his pants before finally making it out of bed. "Let me know how that goes mate, I'm sure you two will have loads to talk about the next time you see him."

Rolling his neck side to side, Draco said "Was there a reason for this early morning wakeup call or were you just in the mood to give me a headache sooner than normal?"

"Just wanted to see if you were making another appearance at breakfast today. I know we'd all love to see you and Weasel go another round. At least I would, I need to go double or nothing with Zabini. He hasn't told me how he is collecting yet, but from the grin he gave me it's nothing good."

Folding his arms, Theo added "Only this time, can you please let one of those two idiots start it first. I really need a win here."

Draco sighed. "Yeah, I'll see what I can do there."

Winking at his friend, Theo said "Thanks mate, I knew I could always count on you. Now, shall we go join Blaise before the Golden Trio take over the kitchen? Remember, I'm placing my faith in you here to keep your cool, let Potter or Weasel make the first move."

Grabbing his wand and placing it in his back pocket, Draco followed Theo's lead out of his bedroom. "Bet all you want, but no one will be arguing today."

Theo scoffed. "That's what you said last time, and how long did that promise last for?"

Clenching his jaw, Draco decided to leave that topic alone for now. Although he wasn't as excited as Theo seemed to be with the impending arrival of Harry and Ron, he was excited at the prospect of seeing Hermione.

 _At least it can't go any worse than it did the last time she joined us for breakfast._

* * *

Hermione was standing in front of a fireplace, watching as the flames twisted and stretched up along the faded brick wall. Feeling the warmth reach her cheeks, she listened to the wood crackle and hiss. She was becoming hypnotized by the fire's flickering of orange, yellow and reds when she realized something strange.

She had suspected the smell of burning pine to reach her nose, but as the smoke and ash danced and swirled its way around her, something else was invading her senses. It was rich and sweet all rolled into one, and even though she couldn't figure out where it was coming from, Hermione was certain she could almost taste it. As she slowly licked her bottom lip, she felt something brush against her cheek which sent her hand quickly up to see what had touched it.

Eyes wide, Hermione now lay awake in bed, her breath caught somewhere in her throat. She could feel her heart beating against her chest as she slowly reached up to feel her cheek. Even though she knew it was only a dream, for some reason it felt like so much more.

 _I guess it's better than waking up to a scream._

Still a little confused about what she had just dreamed about, Hermione was able to just barely catch the _Dark Arts_ book before it fell from the bed. However, she wasn't able to grab the other five or six books that toppled in its place.

"Bollocks."

Setting down the black, leather bound book on the nightstand, she left the sanctuary of warmth and placed her feet on the cool floor. Wishing she was back in her dream and basking in the fire's alluring glow, she started to pick up the books when a knock came at her door.

"Hermione, you all right in there? We heard a crash."

Slightly chuckling at her friend's concern, she said "Yes, some books just fell. Come on in."

Ron slowly opened the door and entered her room with Harry following right behind. "I was on my way to see if Luna was up when I heard it." Looking around at the mounds of books still stacked on her bed, he asked "Did you get any sleep last night?"

"Surprisingly, I did." Placing the last few books back on her bed, she said "I think talking to Malfoy actually really helped."

Noticing the confused looks on both her friends faces, she explained "He noticed that my light was on last night and well, we sort of just started talking. I think it actually helped empty some of the questions I had built up in my mind about what happened the night I found my parents. I should have listened to your advice sooner Harry."

Ron quickly turned on the spot to look at his best friend. " _Your_ advice? You actually told her it was a good idea to go talk to that blonde haired ferret?"

Before Harry could answer, Hermione cut in. "And why wouldn't he? I would think you would want me hear everything that has happened to me these past few months, I mean who knows what could trigger my memories to come back."

"Besides," Harry also cut in. "I thought we had talked about this. Malfoy isn't my favorite person either, but really he is the best shot Hermione has at piecing together the last few months."

Folding his arms, Ron said "Yeah, I know that. I just don't trust him is all. He has and always will be an arrogant, selfish, horrible prick."

Hermione grabbed a sweater from her bag and slipped in on over her shirt. "While I would normally agree with you, he was actually pretty decent last night. I think something has definitely changed in him."

"I doubt that." Ron walked over to the open window that was allowing the room to fill with the cold, morning air and closed it. "A snake is a snake no matter how many times it sheds its skin. He's a Malfoy, there is no changing what comes with that name."

Chewing the inside of her cheek that had only just begun to heal, she hesitated before saying "Maybe."

Wanting to get back on track on what they had set out to do, Harry said "Do you want to join us downstairs for breakfast?"

Nodding her head, Hermione said "Let's eat fast though, there's a book that I really want to start reading. I think it may be just what we are looking for."

Grabbing her beaded bag, she said "I want to take a quick shower first though. Go on ahead, I'll be right down."

"Sounds good, see you soon."

As Harry and Ron went to go check on Luna before heading down, Hermione made her way to the bathroom.

* * *

Draco was fiddling with the last corner of his piece of toast as he listened to his friends bicker about something that hardly seemed worth fighting about given their current circumstances. Although he had managed a few hours of sleep, his body felt more tired than before which prompted him to choose coffee over tea during breakfast. He was listening to a tree branch just outside the kitchen window tap rhythmically against the glass when suddenly he realized the soft thumping was now coming from hurried footstep down the stairs.

"You really expect me to think that you actually got that hoity little bitch to snog you, in a broom cupboard no less?" Theo raised his eyebrow to Blaise.

"Just because you couldn't seal the deal, doesn't make her a prude Theo, it just means she actually has good taste in men."

Scoffing, Theo was about to retort when suddenly a smile spread across his face as he watched both Harry and Ron enter the kitchen.

"Well, well, well, looks like the chosen one and his trusty side kick have decided to grace us with their presence this morning, but aren't we missing one?"

Deciding to ignore the question, Harry muttered to Ron "Let's just make this quick."

Draco watched as the two Gryffindors started to search through the kitchen looking for something to eat. Taking his mug, he swirled its contents and wondered when they would find out he had finally talked to Hermione. However, this thought didn't even have time to finish formulating when he got his answer.

"So," Ron said as nonchalantly as he could. "I hear you and Hermione had a little chat last night."

From the corner of his eye, Draco could see Theo lean towards Blaise and whisper "Double or nothing? Only this time I'm taking the red head."

Watching Theo give him another overly animated wink, Draco rolled his eye and focused his attention back towards Ron.

"What's your point?"

Placing a tea bag into each mug, Ron turned and said "What all did you tell her?"

"What I should have told her from the moment she woke up and asked about her parents."

Ron glared at Draco, unconvinced that was all. "What else did you tell her?"

Draco met the red head's stare. He was trying to keep his composure, if only to help his friend win some ridiculous bet. However, he was finding it hard to swallow the bitter words that so desperately wanted to be said.

Feeling the tension start to slowly take over the room, Harry was plating the second batch of toast when he said "Let's try to have it so Hermione doesn't walk into a room where you two are about to curse each other shall we?"

"Hush, hush now Potter, let them say or not say whatever they want to." Theo was waving Harry's words to the side as he watched eagerly from his seat.

Snickering, Blaise said "You really want to wear the Gryffindor girl's uniform don't you?"

"Fuck, you were seriously about collecting on that? I thought-"

"Would you two shut up." Draco's patience was starting to wane and he needed to focus his energy on not giving into the temptation of goading Ron.

"If you're asking if I told her anything about her and I and what has happened between us these past few months, the answer is no. I don't plan on telling her any of that." Seeing what looked like relief suddenly fill the red head's eyes, Draco couldn't help but add "Don't get me wrong Weasel, I still plan on getting her to remember us, I'm just going to take a different approach is all."

Unable to help himself, he added "You actually may want to try taking some notes on what I do because this pathetic little puppy dog routine you are doing with Lovegood isn't getting you anywhere with her."

Draco blocked out Theo's annoyed screams as he watched Ron's face turn a full shade redder than his hair.

"What the hell are you talking about Malfoy?"

"Oh please, we have all seen you follow her around here like a dog waiting for a bone. Just be a man and tell her how you feel. If she has any taste in men though, just be prepared for the worst, but hey you never know what's going on in that head of hers, you may actually have a shot."

"Fuck you Malfoy, you have no idea what you're talking about."

"Oh really? That's funny, because it seems to me that you're just too much of a bloody chicken to make a move."

Leaning back in his chair, Draco pushed back his hair a few times before saying "I guess I shouldn't be too surprised though, your experience with women is pretty pitiful."

"The way I see it Malfoy, it's quality, not quantity. Just because you've slept your way through all of the poor, pathetic girls who think it'd be a good idea to be with you, doesn't make you an expert. Those girls just be really dim witted if they think sleeping with you is a good choice."

The next sentence that came out of Draco's mouth would be one that he knew should have stayed back behind his teeth, but by the time he had realized that it was far too late.

"That's funny, because last I checked Granger was still the brightest witch of our age. I don't think she could have earned that title by being 'dim witted'."

Draco knew he would probably pay for that remark one way or another, but seeing the color drain from Ron's face and seeing Theo in a girl's school uniform would more than make up for it.

 _I'm sure the gold will really bring out his eyes._

* * *

As Hermione closed the door to the bathroom, she had only taken a few steps before almost colliding with a blonde haired witch.

"Oh, Luna! I'm sorry, I didn't see you there. Are you headed downstairs as well?"

Nodding, her friend said "Yeah, Ron and Harry I think already headed down to start. They both seemed like they were in a hurry though. I bet it's because they want to get back to whatever you guys are secretly doing in your room."

Hermione felt a little twinge of guilt as Luna talked. Following behind her friend down the stairs, she said "I'm really sorry, but we can't really talk about what we are doing. The less people who know about everything, the better and safer it is."

"I understand."

Even though Hermione couldn't see her friend's face, she had a feeling if she could, a look of hurt and disappointment would be there. Before she could say anything to try and help make her better understand their circumstances, she realized they had reached the kitchen.

Even though she had only been there a few moments, the silence was already too much for Hermione. Seeing that she had clearly walked into something, she said "Everything alright in here?"

Smiling, Draco turned his head to look at Hermione who was wearing a pair of jeans and a form fitting, long sleeved shirt. Needing to get the image of him gently placing his fingers on her barley showing mid drift and slowly pulling her shirt over her head while leaving a trail of alternating kisses and bite marks on her neck, he said "Everything is great. We were just giving each other some friendly advice."

Looking at the expressions on her two best friends, she had doubts on just how friendly it was, but she wasn't about to dig further into whatever 'advice' they had just been discussing. Walking over to help finish breakfast, Hermione said "Does anyone else want jam with their toast?"

Luna raised her hand and she began sipping her tea that Ron had handed her. "I would love some."

"I tried to find it earlier, but I didn't find any in the cupboard." Harry handed both Hermione and Luna a plate.

"I think Fleur keeps a few extra jars downstairs in the cellar Hermione if you want to go grab one."

Although Draco was now getting a earful from Theo on how he could let him down for a second time, his head turned around in time to see the look of sheer panic fill Hermione's eyes at Ron's suggestion. He knew she had never told her friends what had happened in her parent's cellar and he was sure she was about to tell them now.

As he watched her hesitate, trying to figure out how she was going to make it down the stairs without having a panic attack, he said "It's my fault it's all gone. I used the last of it this morning so I can go grab one real quick."

With Ron mumbling "Of course it was", Hermione watched as Draco stood from his seat and headed for the cellar door in the back corner of the kitchen. Her heart was pounding, but she took a deep breath before taking a sip of her tea.

 _That was lucky. I really need to work on getting over this ridiculous fear of mine._

Taking the last step down, he looked around the surprisingly large, but damp space, spotting three jars of various flavored jams on a bottom shelf. As he went to go grab one, the sound of Blaise's voice behind him made him jump.

"For fuck's sake Zabini, make a sound or something! What the hell are you doing down here."

"Just being nosey is all. Figured I'd take a look to see what's down here."

Draco watched as Blaise began making sweeping motions with his eyes around the cellar.

"What I find interesting is, even though she doesn't remember you, she still seems to have you whipped pretty good."

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

"We both know it was Theo who used the last of the jam this morning, but for some reason you're jumping to her rescue, doing whatever she needs. It's actually a little sad to see Malfoy."

Draco grinded his teeth as he spoke. "You have no fucking idea what you're talking about so I suggest you keep your mouth shut before I shut it for you."

Blaise shrugged Draco's comment off as he continued to look around the cellar, stopping his eyes on a few amber bottles that where somewhat hidden behind a few boxes.

Grinning, he said "What's this now?" Blaise walked over and pushed the boxes out of the way and grabbed one of the bottles. As he read the label, he turned to Draco and said "Looks like I've found what we are doing tonight."

Draco rolled his eyes as his friend set back down the dusty bottle of whiskey. Knowing that getting three Slytherin's drunk could only end well, he picked up one of the jars of jam and began to head back up the steps.

* * *

Hermione had managed to nibble on a piece of toast and a few spoonful of eggs, but with her mind focused on getting back to her room and reading _Secrets of the Dark Arts_ she hadn't been able to eat much.

Once back upstairs, she wasted no time and dove under her pillow to retrieve the book. Flipping through its pages, she held her breath as she searched for any passages that contained information on horcruxes. As she went from one page to another, although she hadn't found anything yet, what she was reading and the images she saw gave her a feeling that if any book was going to have information, it would be this one.

Harry and Ron had both taken a seat in one of the armchairs that sat in the room. They had not yet noticed Hermione's sudden eagerness to read a certain book until Harry asked her a question which was replied with no response.

"I still don't see why those bloody gits have to hide out here. Why should we help them when all they have ever done is cause us trouble?"

Ron looked around at the stacks of still unread books, wondering where on earth he should start today. Harry had the same overwhelmed expression on his face as he too looked around the room trying to figure out which book to grab.

Reaching for one that wasn't in another language, Harry asked "Do you want us to start reading a certain book today Hermione?"

Opening the book to the first page and reading the title _Magic Through the Ages: 15th Century_ , he began to skim through the next few pages. It wasn't until a few moments had passed by with no response did Harry then look up to see a wide eyed witch who looked lost for words.

Concerned, Harry asked "Are you alright?"

When still no response came, Ron spoke a little louder than Harry had. "Hermione, what's wrong?"

The word had been tucked away in the middle of the page, but she saw it the moment she had turned over the ageing paper. Her heart had almost leaped out of her chest in astonishment at what she was seeing.

 _It's here, I've finally found something... And here I thought we'd be reading these books for weeks before we found anything..._

When her pulse finally started to come back down to normal, it was then that she heard voices calling her name. Looking up to meet the concerned faces of both Harry and Ron, she felt the sides of her mouth curl into a small smile before saying "I think I've found something."

...

The golden Trio had spent the remainder of the day tucked away in Hermione's room, reading and re-reading each word that discussed what a horcrux was, how to create one and how to destroy it. Each one of them had read it on their own with each one also reading it out loud to each other. Hermione had been furiously writing notes for hours now and even though her hand had started to crap, she refused to take a break. It wasn't until she had heard the muffled sounds of the clock's chimes in the hallway did she realize how late it was.

"Bloody hell is it really midnight already?" Ron straightened his back and stretched his good arm behind him.

Fighting back a yawn, Harry nodded. "Seems to be. We really need to do a better job at remember to eat something throughout the day. You're arm is still healing and we all need to keep our strength up."

Hermione knew he was right, but having finally found information on horcruxes, she figured forgetting this time was understandable. "If you guys want to go get some sleep, I'm fine staying up a little longer thinking about where and what You-Know-Who could have used as a horcrux."

Both boys instantly shook their heads.

"If you're staying up, so will we. Besides, we aren't even tired."

Smiling at Ron, she could tell he was lying through his teeth. They both looked exhausted and if it wasn't for the mountain of pillows propping them up, she knew the moment they closed their eyes they'd be out.

"Alright, if you're sure then. We have a few good ideas of what they could be, but we really need to think of where they could be at. Once Ron is fully healed, we will need a plan on where to start looking."

Setting down her quill, she flexed and extended her fingers a few times to try and relieve some of the tension. When Harry saw this however, he reached over and took both the parchment and quill from her.

"Give your hand a break Hermione, I can take over for a little while."

She gave her friend a thankful nod even though she felt herself wanting to protest. Slouching back onto her headboard, she reached over and grabbed her bag. Pulling open the drawstrings, she took out her copy of _The Tales of Beedle the Bard_. Needing to do something for her restless fingers, she began flipping through its pages.

Another hour passed and if the lack of sleep wasn't getting to the two Gryffindor boys before, it definitely was now. Ron had found his way to the foot of Hermione's bed and with all the book except a certain few back in her bag, he found more than enough space to sprawl out. Harry however was still leaning against the side of the bed with pillows propping him up, but even sitting up his eyes were almost halfway closed.

Hermione on the other hand was wide awake and still carefully looking at each page of _The Tales_ book. She was reading over one of the stories that she had translated when her fingers began to trace over a small and unrecognizable symbol at the bottom corner of the page. Having looked in her _Spellman's Syllabary_ when she first noticed it, she was disappointed when she wasn't able to find it.

She could feel the slight indent in the paper under her touch. Slightly furrowing her brow, she leaned over towards Ron and asked "Does this symbol look familiar to you at all?"

Barely raising his head to look at what Hermione was pointing at, he shook his head. "You know I don't know any of that gibberish."

"It's not 'gibberish'. I've tried to find it in any of my translation books and it doesn't appear to be in any of them."

Trying her luck with Harry, she leaned even further and handed him the book. "How about you? It's that small symbol in the corner, it looks like someone drew it in. Any idea where it could be from?"

Taking the book, Harry opened his tired eyes a little wider to get a better look, but ultimately he also shook his head. "Sorry Hermione, I have no idea where it could be from. It may be nothing, just something someone doodled on the page."

Harry handed her back the book. Hermione knew he could be right, but she wasn't fully convinced that he was. She continued to stare at the symbol, becoming lost in thought when suddenly Ron mumbled something in his sleepy state that made her mind wander in a whole different direction.

"You know, it was really lucky that you stumbled onto that book Hermione. I was afraid it'd be forever until we finally found something on horcruxes."

Hermione looked up from her book, thinking about what her friend just said.

 _It was pretty lucky that Malfoy had warned me about the book, and from what else I've read he was right in doing so._

Shifting slightly, she pulled her hair out of a pony tail and tousled her hair a few times. Feeling her soft curls fall over her shoulders, she leaned back.

 _It does seem like an interesting coincidence that the one book he mentions has what we needed though._

Watching as her two best friends eye's finally completely shut, she whispered "Yeah, it was pretty lucky."

* * *

Draco was finding that his third glass of whiskey was finally doing the trick of helping make his friend's topics of conversation seem not so painful to listen to. The three Slytherin's had made their way downstairs after they were sure everyone had finally gone to bed. Blaise had went down to the cellar to grab one of the bottles of whiskey he had found earlier while Draco lit a fire. They had started off the night giving a toast in celebration of all of them somehow managing to still be alive. After that, Draco had kept to himself for the most part, enjoying each sip of warmth that slightly burned on the way down.

His eyes were focused on watching the flames as he slowly swirled his glass before taking another sip. It wasn't until Theo posed a certain question did Draco's eyes glance over to look at his friend.

"What if she doesn't ever remember you mate, what then? Are we just going to live out the rest of our days in this fucking house? Because if that's the case then I may just down this whole bottle and then go off myself, it'd be less painful."

"No one is making you stay here Nott. If you want to leave then by all means go ahead, but I plan on staying for as long as it takes for her to get her memories back."

Theo took a rather large sip before saying "What if she doesn't though. There's a good chance your aunt fucked her up so much that she never gets them back. I know you think you can make her 'fall back in love with you' or some shit like that, but things were different then. You two are in different circumstances now. Having those two following her around all day making sure you don't have a chance to go near here will really make things difficult."

Draco's grey eyes shot Theo a cold glare, but he unfortunately knew he had a point. "I'll figure out how to get around those two idiots. I'm not too worried about it."

"Honestly Draco, I feel like I have to say something." Blaise finished off the rest of his drink and began to pour himself another glass. "I still find it a little strange that you're this hung up on a girl, especially a Mudbl-"

Draco slammed his glass down on the table. "Watch it Zabini. You use that word one more time and I'll-"

"See, right there. Four months ago you were saying worse things than that about muggle-borns and now look at you. All I'm saying is that the Draco I knew wouldn't let some girl make him this crazy, it's a little weird to watch."

"Then don't watch, no one of forcing you to be here either. She isn't just 'some girl' either and I don't need to explain myself or my actions to you." Draco knew that after Blaise had a few drinks in him he became a little more 'mouthier' than normal, but he wasn't in the mood to deal with it tonight. Rolling up his sleeves, he gave his friend another look to warn him to watch what words he chose to say next.

Thinking it was a good idea to move the conversation along, Theo said "So, back to my other question. Are we just going to call this shack our home now?"

"Well we can't go out there unless you are alright with a very painful and very slow death by none other than the Dark Lord himself." Blaise knew that by the way Draco was still glaring at him, it was best to leave the topic of Hermione alone for now. "I don't know where else we could go and still be hidden well enough."

"You know those three are planning something up there, I mean why else would they lock themselves away?" Theo looked at Draco for an answer, but it was Blaise that gave one.

"I could think of a few reasons, but I wouldn't peg Granger for being one who likes that sort of stuff. However, she does like to challenge herself so you never know."

That was Draco's breaking point. He could usually handle his friend's idiotic comments when he had one too many, but not this time.

 _Not about her._

It wasn't graceful, but his movements were still quick. Draco had stood from his chair and reached over to grab Blaise's shirt before his friend even realized what had happened.

"You say one more word about Granger and I'll punched that stupid fucking smirk right off your face."

Theo had managed to move out of Draco's way just in time. Being proud with himself for not spilling a drop of whiskey in the process, he raised his glass and downed the rest of his drink before placing his hand on Draco's shoulders.

"Looks like it's about that time to call it a night boys wouldn't you say?" Leaning in towards Draco, he whispered "It's not worth the effort mate, you know he's just drunk of his arse. I'll take him upstairs alright?"

As much as Draco wanted to land one punch to at least get his point across, he knew the commotion it would probably cause would result in Hermione seeing him in a way he'd rather her not. Taking a few deep breaths, he let go of Blaise's shirt and sat back down in his chair.

Theo placed Draco's glass of whiskey back in front of him before patting Blaise on his back. "I'd say you dodged a bullet there. As much as I hate to admit it, Draco could probably take down both of our arses. Let's get you upstairs."

Draco watched as Theo began ushering Blaise up the stairs. His blood had quickly boiled over, and he was still trying to bring it back down to at least a simmer before heading up himself. Taking his glass, he finished the rest of his drink and placed it back on the table.

"Fucking Zabini, like I don't already have enough of a problem falling asleep without him riling me up."

Slouching back in his chair, his eyes fell back on to the fire. He was trying to calm himself, but no matter how many deep breaths he took, he still felt the urge to punch something hard. Looking over to the fifth of almost finished whiskey, Draco sat up and reached for it. With enough amber colored liquid to fill just one last glass, he pour the remaining liquor in to his.

 _What the hell, why not?_

* * *

Hermione had switched gears and was back to writing notes about places Voldemort could have hidden one of his horcruxes. She was finding it hard to concentrate however due to the fact her head was being filled by the sounds of Ron and Harry's snores.

 _Even if I wanted to try and sleep, I doubt it would happened with this racket._

Reaching for a new sheet of parchment, her fingers stopped just short of one when she heard footsteps coming from the hallway. Knowing that it was late into the night, she wondered who could be wandering the halls. Needing a break from the drown out sounds of her friends, she quietly placed her quill down on the dresser and silently made her way across the room.

Once she managed to slowly open and close the door, she found the hallway quiet and empty except for a soft glow of light that was making its way upstairs. Curiosity getting the best of her, she began making her way down the stairs until she reached the bottom landing. She proceeded with caution as she continued through the kitchen and made her way to the living room.

It was the smell of pine that gave away where the source of light was coming from. Hearing the soft crackles of the wood, she soon saw who was enjoying the peacefulness of its flames.

"Malfoy? What are you doing down here?"

Slightly startled by the witch's voice, Draco turned his head to see Hermione staring at him. "I see someone is up late again, what brought you down here?"

Coming around the chair, she noticed the empty bottle of whiskey sitting in front of him. "You drink all that yourself?"

Laughing a little, Draco said "No, I'm not that much of a lush Granger. Theo and Blaise were down here as well."

"I guess that explains who I heard just now." Looking towards the fire, she was enjoying how nice the heat it was giving off felt against her skin. Not knowing if it would be weird to sit down next to him, she slightly hesitated before saying "Do you mind if I sit here?"

Watching her gesture to the open seat, Draco tried to hide a smile as he said "Not at all Granger. I'd pour you a drink, but sadly this is the last of it." Holding up his glass, he set it back down on the table. It wasn't until he looked back at her did he realize what she was suddenly staring at. He had rolled up his sleeves earlier that night and hadn't pushed them back down yet. Watching her eyes become transfixed on his Dark Mark, he began to unroll his sleeves, but her words made him stop.

"How does he do it? Does he carve it into you, or is it more like a branding?"

Draco's eyes slightly winded at her questions. Even before she lost her memories, she had never asked that question before. They had talked about his Mark a little at the beginning, but for the most part they both acted as if it wasn't even there.

Hermione saw the look of shock quickly spread across Malfoy's face. Feeling as if she overstepped her bounds, she said "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked. It isn't my business.."

Enjoying the way she blushed under the idea that she had asked too personal of a question, he said "It was a little of both, at least it felt like it."

Remembering back to the day he received his Mark, he slightly shuttered as he continued. "It was a type of magic that I hadn't really ever seen before. At first it burned, like my arm was on fire, but then I could feel my skin ripping open as if he had a knife pressed into my arm."

If Draco thought hard enough, he could almost feel the pain he had experience that night again. Voldemort's cold hand had gripped his wrist, sending chills up his arm and down his spine. He didn't know whether it would be better to watch or look away, but the second the Dark Lord's wand began to emit a glowing red light, Draco had no choice but to watch as his skin was forever marked. He could even remember the sounds of his mother's soft sobs behind him as she watched her son's life become something she had tried so hard to prevent.

Realizing that he had become lost in thought, he pulled himself back to the present and refocused himself to finish pushing down his sleeves. "I'm sorry you had to see that, it isn't something I like to have on display."

Hermione watched Draco as the red and orange flames mixed with his grey eyes. His silver hair almost glowed in the light and it was making her mind wander. As he turned to apologize to her, she could smell the sweet and earthy notes of the whiskey. Taking a deep breath, she could swear she was even able to taste the caramel that flavored the amber liquor.

Becoming suddenly caught off guard, she froze as she continued to stare at Malfoy. _Why does this feel so familiar? Am I just thinking about the dream I just had, or is it something else?_

Her head felt like it was being pulled in a hundred different directions as she tried to figure out what this feeling was.

Draco knew that the face he was now watching was one that belonged to a witch that was thinking in overdrive. He waited, holding his breath as she continued to hold his stare. When a few moments passed though and she was still speechless, he began to worry a little that what she was thinking wasn't what he was hoping she was.

Needing to find out, he quietly asked "Are you alright Granger? You look a little lost in thought there."

Hearing Malfoy's voice, Hermione nodded her head. Pushing the strange feeling aside for a moment, she quickly said "Yeah, sorry. I just.." Holding his gaze for another moment before looking away, she said "I just had a weird feeling is all, like there was something familiar about all of this."

Looking back and seeing Malfoy's surprised face, she said "I know, I'm sure I'm just crazy. I had a dream last night, something about being next to a fire and I'm sure I was just thinking about that."

Not fully aware still of just how taken aback Draco still was, she said "I know that it's a little late, but if you're up for it, I'd like to hear a little more about the past few months. Maybe explain to me how in the world we ended up at my family's cabin."

Draco's heart was beating twice as fast and his mouth felt as dry as a desert. _She remembers, or... she almost remembered. She had a feeling that this has happened before and that's more than she's ever had._

Knowing that he needed to say something to her request, he simply nodded as he said "I think that is an excellent idea Granger."

* * *

Note: I can't believe summer is almost over! I only have 2 more weeks until school starts again which is a little crazy to me.

I hope you all enjoyed the chapter! I'm starting to set up a few things that are going to happen here soon.

Thank you all for the amazing reviews I have been receiving, along with all the new favs/follows! I really do appreciate it! You guys always know how to make my weeks better :)

I'm going to be gone for about a week on vacation starting soon here. My goal is to post a chapter right before school starts, but depending on how much writing I am able to do while on vacation it may be just a little after that.

Thank you all again for such positive feedback!

 _-Toujours._


	25. Chapter 25: Mother's Intuition

**Wounded**

Chapter 25: Mother's Intuition

As September turned in to October, the days grew shorter while the nights crept in with their cool autumn chill. The winds whipped harder against the already turbulent sea, creating waves that would claim anything that stood in its way. Misty grey clouds had made their residence permanent in the sky no matter how hard the sun tried to chase them away. A rich, earthy smell of decay was in the air and it seemed to Draco that each new day brought more scarlet and gold hues along with it.

 _How annoyingly Gryffindor._

Sitting in one of the chairs in his room, Draco sighed as he watched a few of the already fallen leaves be picked up by a gust of wind and taken out to sea. Knowing that in a few short weeks the trees would be bare, he figured he could overlook Mother Nature's color scheme until then. As he continued to watch the pooling of fallen leaves gather on the ground, his mind wandered to what life had been like the past few weeks.

Although Hermione was starting to remember small snippets of her time spent at the cabin, she still couldn't completely remember him, or anything that they had shared together. Draco had a feeling though that she was getting closer every day. It seemed however that Theo was right in thinking that having Harry and Ron around would make his goal much harder to obtain. The Golden Trio spent most of their days locked in her room doing what he could only guess was talking, planning and preparing for their own end goals. He of course knew what they were hunting for, but he was waiting for Hermione to once again confide in him.

There had been a kind of "truce" which had settled between everyone whom were now living at the house. Mostly each group just kept to themselves except for the occasional hiss or roar between a certain few. However for the most part, peace was able to be maintained.

Draco was relieved when Hermione had come to him one afternoon while the he was sitting outside with Nott and Zabini as they talked about what their next move was going to be.

"I can't take this anymore. I swear to Salazar if I have to keep playing house and pretending like it isn't weird that we are all living together, I may just have to turn myself in. The torture of having to look at Potter and Weasel's face every day can't be as bad as what the Dark Lord would do."

"That isn't something you should even joke about Nott." Draco was sitting on the edge of a sand dune as he turned to look at his friend. "You know just as well as I do what he is capable of. I'm sure it's not only what my nightmares are made of, but yours as well."

Picking up a handful of sand, Theo felt its grit sit on his palm before he watched it fall through his fingers. "Lighten up mate. I wouldn't actually turn myself in. I just need to find a better way to entertain myself besides finding ways to make Weasel uncomfortable is all. I'm getting restless."

Blaise brushed off the sand that had made its way over to him thanks to Theo's annoying habit of playing in the dirt. "Must you do that so close to me?" Continuing to brush it off, he added "I hate to say this though Malfoy, but he's right. I don't know how much longer I can stay here either. I mean what are we even doing here anymore? It's been over a month and Granger still doesn't remember you two. If she hasn't by now, I don't think your odds are very good. We can't just keep sitting around here; especially since the two of us don't share the same delusional idea that she one day will like you too."

"No one is asking you guys to stay, you're more than welcome to go anytime you want." Draco turned his attention towards the heavy sea. He was becoming tired of his friends complaining every day about their situation.

"If you two are just going to bitch and moan about the fact that we actually have a place to stay hidden then you may have to start worrying about me getting a hold of you instead. The reason you two haven't run off isn't because you're waiting to see if Granger remembers us or because you're waiting for me to realize she never will…" Keeping his eyes on the not so distant storm clouds that were rolling in towards them, he continued to say "It's because you have nowhere else to go. You two already were caught once, and I'm sure you know there's a good chance it would happen again. Especially now that Tonks has told us what's been going on since escaping my house. How about instead of whining all the time, we try to actually come up with an idea of what we can do once we are ready to leave here."

Taken aback, Blaise said "What, are you actually asking me to risk my life and fight in this fucking war?"

"No, that's not what I'm saying.." Draco closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. "Well, maybe. I mean we can't just-"

"If you think for one second that I would-"

"Well, well, look who's come to join us."

Draco quickly opened his eyes and glanced over to see who Theo was nodding at. When he saw Hermione walking towards them, he sat up a little straighter.

Giving one of his mischievous smiles, Theo said "I'm surprised to see you over here or for that matter outside at all. Do your two guard dogs know you're outside of their watch zones? We wouldn't want them to worry about their Gryffindor Princess."

Rolling her eyes, Hermione stopped just beside Draco. "You know Theo, out of what little respect I have found for you lately I was keeping my mouth shut. However, I've been in need of a good laugh and I think I'm ready to tell Blaise that if he wants to collect on that bet he won, I do have an old uniform with me if he'd like to have it."

As the color drained from Theo's face, Draco couldn't help but laugh at his friend's pain. "I think we could all use that laugh."

Watching Blaise's lips curl into an evil grin, Draco turned his attention to Hermione. "I am glad to see you out of your room though. You three have been held up in there almost every day it seems like."

Giving a forced smile, Hermione said "We all needed a little fresh air." Turning to look at her friend who was down by the beach, she continued to say "Besides, those two have a few things to talk about."

Looking to see who Hermione was talking about, Draco watched as Ron and Luna began turning over pieces of driftwood as they talked. "Are they looking for something?"

"Yes, but you wouldn't believe me if I told you what they are trying to find."

Raising an eyebrow, he asked "What is it this time, some type of flying jellyfish that can read people's mind?"

Hermione couldn't hide her smile when shaking her head. "No, but it is something along those lines. Anyways, I was wondering if I could talk to you alone for a moment."

Giving a quick stern glance to Theo who was making quiet, but still annoying, exaggerated kissing sounds, Draco stood and began to walk with Hermione.

While they made their way down towards the water, Hermione began to realize just how long she had been tucked away inside. The cold air filled her lungs and while normally the chill would have burned, it felt oddly refreshing. Each new gust of wind brought with it a salty taste that not only lingered on her tongue, but in her nose as well. She was letting the sounds of the waves consume her thoughts for just a moment before she heard Draco's voice.

"Everything alright Granger? You seem a little… lost in thought."

Giving him a small nod, she took a deep breath before speaking. "I'm fine, thank you for asking though."

Seeing the look of skepticism in his grey eyes, Hermione sighed and gave in. "I guess I'm just a little frustrated."

Knowing that she was probably frustrated at more than what she would actually share with him, he decided to act as if he only knew of the one topic. "I know that you're frustrated about not being able to remember everything, but I think you're really close to a break through. Just the other week you told me you are getting a few 'fragments' here and there of some memories."

"Yeah, of me sitting on the cellar steps crying and you having to help me back up stairs. I'm so glad you now know one of the things I'm ashamed of about myself. "

Watching Hermione's checks slightly flush, he continued to listen to her as she said "I am sorry again that you had to deal with that. I'm sure I wasn't the nicest at explaining to you why I was acting like that."

Fighting the urge to grab her hand and bring her close, Draco said "For the hundredth time Granger, you have to stop apologizing for that. I've told you that we were actually trying to work on your fear once I found out."

As the wind picked up, Hermione folded her arms to try and keep some of her warmth close. "I still am a little surprised that you wanted to help me with that. I know I've asked you this before, but why _did_ you agree, why would you even care if I overcame that ridiculous fear?"

Draco stared into Hermione's eyes. He didn't know if it was because he hadn't looked at her this closely for a few days or if it was because at that moment she was giving him a look that only a person who desperately wanted answers could give, but whatever the reason was, he was finding it very hard not to give in to temptation and tell her everything.

Not breaking their connection, he said "We had a lot of time at that house Granger, we had to fill it somehow. I just figured it would be better to fill that time with something productive rather than sit around watching the minutes slowly pass by."

Hermione was dissecting every word he said. For almost a week now she'd had a nagging feeling that Draco was keeping something from her. He had promised her that he had filled her in on everything that had happened now, but she had a suspicion that there was some piece he was leaving out. A piece she felt could be the key to unlocking the barrier between her and her memories.

 _Only problem is, he's too good at bluffing. He's had too much practice at this._

Feeling her eyes prying deeper into his soul to try and detect any hint of a ruse, he asked "Is that what you wanted to talk to me about?"

Still unconvinced of his words, she left the topic alone for now. "No, I was actually hoping that I could ask a favor from you."

"From me?"

"If it's alright with you, I was hoping that even though you have told me a few times now everything that had happened these past few months, could you keep going over everything with me? I just feel like if I keep hearing it, it may help breaking down whatever is blocking them."

"I have no problem doing that, but do you think your 'two guard dogs' as Theo put it will let us talk any more than what we have? I see the way Weasel looks at me when we have talked before."

Turning her gaze to a crashing wave that caught her attention, Hermione answered "He will just have to deal with it. He knows the best chance I have of remembering is talking to you. Besides, I think he is warming up to the thought of you not being an arrogant, self absorbed prick."

"Oh really, and what makes you say that?"

Slightly grinning, she said "Well, instead of calling you an 'arrogant, self absorbed prick', he just calls you ferret boy."

"And just how is _that_ any better?"

Shrugging her shoulders, Hermione said "I mean, at least he is comparing you to a cute, little animal now."

Raising an eyebrow, he said "Are you calling me cute Granger? Because flattery will get you everywhe-"

Hermione gave Draco a small punch in the shoulder. "Get over yourself Malfoy. Now, will you help me then?"

Draco gave his arm a small shake before answering. "You just let me know when and we can keep going over everything that I can remember."

Knowing that her days went late into the night planning with Harry and Ron, she proposed an idea. "If it's alright with you, I hear you walking around late at night. I've even seen you walk down to the beach a few times after everyone's asleep. Do you think we could talk once everyone has gone to bed?"

"If you've heard me staying up late, that means you haven't been sleeping either. I've seen some dreamless sleep potion in the cupboard, I'm sure you can use some."

Hermione shook her head. "Really, I'm fine. I've just have had a lot on my mind is all. I promise I'm getting enough sleep when I need it."

By the look of exhaustion on her face, he highly doubted she was being honest about that. Must of having seen his unconvinced stare, he was a little surprised at her snap comment.

"Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. Why haven't you taken any?"

Hermione knew her lack of sleep was causing her to be on edge, and she quickly apologized. "I'm sorry Malfoy, I didn't mean to lose my temper like that."

Draco waved off her concern. "Don't worry about it Granger. How about this, I promise to help you and tell you stories if you promise to try and actually get some rest. Real rest, not you just lying in bed with your eyes open trying to figure out whatever it is that's been keeping you up. You have to turn that brain of yours off every once in awhile."

Taking a moment to think about his proposal, she smiled and nodded. "Agreed."

"Glad to hear it."

As the two began to make their way back up to shore, Draco spotted Ron and Luna now sitting close together in the sand at what seemed to be a very serious conversation.

"Do you think Weasel will ever tell Lovegood how he feels?"

Chuckling under her breath, she was about to answer when she heard Theo yell "Will you just kiss her already!"

Watching as her friend's face became a mixture of embarrassment and anger; she sighed and said "I can only hope so. See you later tonight."

As Draco watched Hermione make her way back over to her friends, he turned towards his who were snickering and hissing like the snakes they were so proud to be and said "Seems like you both are able to entertain yourselves just fine."

Since that day, the two of them had been seeing each other almost every night. Draco would make his way down to the living room after he knew everyone had gone to their own room and Hermione would usually come find him a little after that. They would start their conversations going over everything that had happened between them in detail, but lately they had started talking about more than just that. On one occasion, Hermione began telling him stories she could remember about her parents.

"My mum loved to throw parties. She always tried to find a reason to throw one."

They had lit a fire in the fireplace which had now almost burned itself out. The embers were almost leaping out at them, twinkling like falling stars that fell short of reaching the two armchairs that sat just out of reach. Hermione took another sip of her tea that Draco had made for her when they had sat down. Remember what Harry had told her, she asked "How did you know I liked honey with my tea?"

Draco brought his own cup up to his mouth and slowly took a sip as he watched her glowing amber eyes stare questioningly at him. Bringing his mug back down and setting it on the coffee table, he said "I overheard those two friends of yours talking about making you tea and heard Weasel say you liked honey with it… must have just stuck."

Watching as Draco picked his mug back up to take another sip, she began to wonder why he had just lied to her. Before she could dig further into it, he asked "You said your mother like to throw parties?"

Still giving him a suspicious look, she answered "She did. From holiday parties to birthday parties she loved planning every single one. I think what she loved most about throwing them though was just having everyone come together and having a good time."

Smiling as she took a drink, she said "I think my favorite party though was my sixteenth birthday. I was going to spend the later part of the summer with the Order, but before I did my mum just had to throw me a party before I left. The only problem was the day before the party was to happen I came down with some type of cold and we had to cancel it. I felt terrible that she had gone to all that work just to have to cancel it, but instead of throwing out all the decorations and food, my mum and I spent the whole day watching movies and gossiping like school girls. Once I was able to eat again we made sure the cake and ice cream didn't go to waste either. My dad ended up giving me a bunch of new books to read which a few have become my favorites and my mum gave me her necklace that I had always loved. It has been passed down for generations and I know it may sound silly but, that necklace makes me feel almost protected when I wear it, like my parents are looking out for me. Lately I wish I would have put it in my bag. I try not to think about everything that has happened to them but, I've really been missing them."

Draco watched as her smile slowly faded. He could have even sworn he had seen her eyes start to glisten, but quickly she shook her head and she instantly put on a happy face. While he wished that there was some way to retrieve the necklace she had lost at the Manor, he knew it was probably gone forever. He was just not ready to tell her that though.

"I'm sorry I was rambling, I'm sure you didn't need to know any of that."

Giving her a small grin, he said "You really need to stop apologizing for shit Granger. If I didn't want to be here I wouldn't be, but I am and I'm having a nice time talking to you."

Hermione watched as the last remaining flickers of light reflected off of Draco's cool, grey eyes. She had been talking to him all night as if it was becoming second nature. Her long days planning with Harry and Ron were draining, especially since they had been going in circles lately. Ron was almost completely healed, but as far as a plan of where to start once they were all able to leave was still a little fuzzy. However no matter how tired she seem to feel once the boys had went to bed, knowing that she was going to be able to talk to Malfoy soon usually seemed to breathe a second wind into her.

Hearing the muffled chime of the upstairs hallway clock, Hermione pulled herself out of her thoughts and back on to the blonde haired wizard sitting in front of her who for some reason was annoyingly good looking tonight.

"Yes well, it seems like the fire is about to call it a night for us unless you still want to keep talking."

Draco watched as Hermione finished her cup of tea.

 _What I would like to do Granger is take you up stairs, shag you until you scream my name so many times your voice is gone the next morning and fall asleep holding you which I would then never let you leave the bed._

Knowing however that wasn't in the realm of possibilities, he still wasn't ready just yet to leave her. For him their nights together had given him more hope with each passing talk they shared. It was killing him not to be able to hold her the way he wanted to or to kiss her ever so lightly on the forehead before they fell asleep next to each other, but talking to her every night was at least more than he had before. It was a hope that kept him going, to be able to control his urge to tuck a stray curl behind her ear or to grab her side and pull her close whenever she walked by.

 _Almost every few days she remembers little things here and there. It shouldn't be long now until she remembers what we had._

Picking up his wand from the table, he gave it a flick and the fire gave a small roar before flames were once again illuminating the room. Giving his wand another wave, he refilled both of their tea mugs and said "Well, maybe just one more cup before bed."

A few days after that night Tonks had come to visit. She spent most of her time talking with Hermione, Harry and Ron, but before she left she had paid Draco a visit.

His bedroom door had been shut when his cousin knocked, prompting Theo to stand from his chair and open the door.

"I see we went with blue hair this time. I like it, looks good on you. Maybe next time though you can go back to the pink, you were really working it the last time you were here."

Taking a few steps inside, Tonks said "If you're hitting on me Nott I'm already taken with a baby on the way so I suggest you end those jokes right there."

Raising his hands in defeat, he moved out of her way so she could make the rest of her way inside.

"Draco, if you have a moment I was hoping to talk to you alone."

Giving his friends a nod towards the door, he waited for Blaise and Theo to leave the room before speaking.

"I guess congratulations are in order. How far along are you?"

Tonks took the chair opposite of Draco next to his bedroom window. Placing a light hand on her belly, she began to softly chuckle.

Confused, Draco asked "What's so funny?"

"It's nothing really."

Seeing the confusion still on Draco's face, she sighed and said "I just find it funny that of all the people I have told about my pregnancy now, you're one of the few people who started off saying 'congratulations' and not asking me why I would want to become pregnant at a time like this."

"I see. May I ask what your answer is when they do say that?"

Tonks continued to make small circles around her stomach, thinking for a moment before answering. "I know the world right now has gone to hell. Every day I turn on the radio and listen to see if my dad's name comes out of the speakers telling me he's gone. My mum has been a wreck and I know she is trying to stay strong, but it's taking its toll on her. When I don't hear his name, I'm relieved, but then I feel guilty that there are others out there who did hear the name they had been hoping not to hear and how devastated they must feel. This isn't the world I thought I would first bring a child into, but I'm also not going to let fear and hate determine my future. I have the choice of only focusing on the bad, or trying to find the good in a horrible situation. I refuse to let You-Know-Who control the choices I make in my life. This child has given me even more of a reason to fight. I want them to have a life that they deserve and I will do everything I can to make sure that happens."

Draco watched as determination filled his cousin's eyes. He had never before understood why someone would risk so much for someone else, to put their life and their needs before their own. However it seemed that as of late, he was starting to understand that there were some things, some people, worth risking it all for.

Taking a deep breath, Tonks looked to Draco. "To answer your first question though, I'm only a few months along now. I haven't started showing too much, but the way I have been hoarding Pumpkin Pasties I'm sure it won't be long."

Giving Tonks a small smile, Draco said "I wouldn't worry about that. Aren't you suppose to eat whatever you want and not feel guilty?"

Laughing, she said "Something like that. How have you been doing? I haven't been able to talk to Hermione alone yet, but from what she did say she has been getting some memories back."

"Yeah, all of which apparently have nothing to do with us. I know I shouldn't complain because this hopefully means she will get them all back soon, but.."

Trailing off, Draco paused for a moment before continuing. "I just need her to remember before she leaves."

Furrowing her brows, Tonks said "What do you mean leaves?"

"I'm not an idiot, I know what those three are doing in there. They aren't going to just stay here forever. They are up to something to try and stop this war. Those damn Gryffindor's aren't ones to just sit around and not put themselves in the middle of something dangerous. I don't know when it will happen, but I'm sure it will be soon and if she leaves before she is able to get her memories back, I feel like that will be the end then."

Tonks listened to her cousin's voice ever so slightly falter. She had kept her promise to him about not saying anything to Hermione about how Draco feels about her. However it was becoming increasingly harder to do so. She had spent most of the day talking to the three Gryffindors, filling them in on everything that had been happening outside of their cottage walls.

She had explained to The Trio how Voldemort had fully taken over the Ministry now. School had been mandatory for all students, but those who weren't pureblood knew that it was just a way to round up those who weren't and either imprison them, torture them for information or even murder them. Muggles killings were at an all time high and it seemed that his army was growing daily. He had managed to collect followers from all over, including the Giants, Werewolves and even some of Vampires who were sick of hiding in the shadows as well.

After updating the three and answering a slew of questions, she began asking Hermione how her memories were coming along. When she heard that she was starting to remember a few things here and there, she was disappointed to find out none of them had to do with her and Draco.

She also asked about what their next move was going to be, however this question only produced a cryptic answer and a lot of uncomfortable glances between the three Gryffindors. She tried to push it a little further, but when no one was budging on their one word responses, she gave up. She knew that them leaving was inevitable, but she was just hoping that they would take her offer to help as much as she could.

Placing a reassuring hand on Draco's arm, Tonks said "I know it's difficult, but you can't give up on you two. Everything will work out, I have a feeling. Call it a mother's intuition or something."

Slightly rolling his eyes, Draco gave her a small nod and asked "How is my mother doing?"

Taking her hand back, she said "She's doing alright. I am very grateful she is staying with my mum when I'm not able to be there. I worry just a little less knowing she has someone to watch out for her there. I think having Ollivander and Griphook there to keep her occupied is helping too. The reason I wanted to talk to you is about your mother actually. She wants to come check on you herself soon, to 'say hello and to talk about a few things' is how she put it. I just wanted to give you a heads up I will probably bring her over soon."

Chuckling to himself, Draco said "She's probably dying to hear the 'gossip' on how Hermione and I are doing. I wonder what these 'few things' are too."

Standing up from her chair, Tonks said "Well whatever her reason is, she is excited to see you. I'm not sure exactly when I will be able to bring her over, my schedule is a little nonexistent at the moment and it's hard to plan anything at this point. I should be getting back though, my mum wanted to have dinner with me before I left. Cooking always seems to help calm her nerves."

Standing up to see Tonks to the door, Draco said "Thanks for giving me a heads up. I'm sure I will be seeing you soon then."

Taking a step out into the hallway, Tonks hesitated before she looked back. "Don't give up Draco, not yet. I know it's hard to sit around waiting and hoping, and you're doing everything you can to help her remember. If you lose hope now though, the regret of giving up will hurt so much more."

Draco clenched his jaw. He took a few deep breaths and simply nodded at his cousin's words. Shutting the door behind her, he made his way back to his chair. He knew his friends would be back through that door any minute prying into what Tonks had wanted to talk about. Until they did though, he began thinking more about what she had said.

 _There's no way I'm giving up on Granger. I just need her to remember before it's too late. Weasel is almost healed and I'm sure they will take off shortly after that._

Watching the sun set just outside his window, Draco closed his eyes. As he tried to remember the last time he and Hermione kissed, he was becoming frustrated as the memory was becoming harder to replay in his head.

 _I can't even remember what she tastes like, or hell how she even feels._

He clenched his jaw again, feeling the annoying sting trying to build behind his eyes. Suddenly hearing the footsteps he knew would come, he quickly opened his eyes, shook it off and prepared for yet another night of answering twenty questions with nothing but complete one word answers and silence.

* * *

It had been a little over a week since Tonks had come to talk to Hermione, Ron and Harry. The sun had set hours ago, but the full moon outside her window was casting enough light to see the waves crashing along the shore. Needing to stand after sitting for hours, Hermione set down her book and made her way over to the open window.

Feeling the ocean breeze against her face, a chill ran down her spine that made her breath catch in her throat. The sky was crystal clear that night and Hermione could see every star in the night sky. Turning back to look at her room, she saw a cluttered mess of parchment, quills and empty tea cups. Harry and Ron had made their way to bed almost an hour ago, but Hermione Hermione's mind refused to shut off tonight.

A memory had come back to her earlier that day. It was small, but it was giving her hope that the small cracks that were filtering her memories would soon break open and everything would come flooding back. It had happened while she was in the shower. She had noticed a scar on her inner thigh awhile ago. It was light and very faded so she knew it hadn't been from the Manor, but it had also not been there before she had went to see Professor McGonagall.

While rinsing off, she had trailed the scar a few times with her finger when it suddenly came flooding back to her.

 _The first night at Snape's, my skirt had been torn and I had injured myself at some point when I used the Port Key to his house._

Once she remembered that, she was able to picture some of what Snape's house had looked like. The library, the room she stayed in, even the kitchen. She tried to remember more events that had taken place there, but not matter how much she strained her brain, nothing more was coming to her.

Hearing the soft chiming of the clock in the hallway, she knew it was just now reaching two in the morning. She had been excited to tell her friends what she had remembered once they had settled in for another long day of trying to figure out what their next move would be. They were also excited for her that she was able to retrieve another one of her memories.

What Hermione found odd though, was the fact that even though she was excited to tell Harry and Ron, she was also a little excited to be able to tell Malfoy what she had remembered. Truth be told, if she was honest with herself, his name was the first to pop into her mind of who she wanted to tell when it first happened.

Although she thought about trying to lay down tonight to try to get a few hours of sleep, what she wanted more was to tell Malfoy what more she had remembered.

 _I'm sure he's downstairs by now. I haven't heard a sound from anyone in over an hour. I'll quick tell him that more of my memories have come back and then I will come back to try and get some sleep._

As if second nature, she walked from the window towards her mirror. Grabbing her brush, she did a quick up-do of her hair and pulled off her loose fitting shirt to pull over a more formfitting, long sleeved sweater. Pleased with how she looked, she began to quickly and quietly make her way out into the hallway and down the stairs.

Before she even made it into the kitchen, she could see a soft glow illuminating the rest of her way. Figuring Malfoy had already lit a fire, she came around the corner and into the living room.

"Malfoy, I have exciting news! I was able to remember what Snape's house looked like today and-"

Stopping in her tracks, the rest of her words were suddenly lost somewhere in her dry mouth. The person who was sitting in one of the armchairs may have had the same hair color and a certain air of confidence that came with the Malfoy name, but it certainly wasn't Draco. Although her hair was not as tight and pristine as it normally was and her makeup was nowhere near perfectly polished as usual, Narcissa Malfoy still somehow looked every bit as beautiful and elegant as Hermione knew her to be.

Placing her cup on the table, Narcissa smiled before she spoke. "It seems that I have made the right call in thinking my son still wanders the halls late at night and this would be the perfect way to catch him. I guess we both have figured out the best time to catch him alone haven't we?"

Hermione quickly found the words that had first escaped her and said "It seems that way. I should probably go so you two can talk once he gets down here-"

"Don't be silly. I'm sure he would much rather talk to you and I'm sure he would be pretty upset with me if he knew that I had chased you away."

Taking her wand and giving it a quick flick, a second tea cup was placed on the table. "Please, won't you join me until he comes down?"

Hermione was unsure of what to do. One of the last memories she had of Narcissa had came back to her a few weeks ago. She couldn't remember everything that had happened at the Manor, but bits and pieces had started to come back. One of which was of her looking at Draco's mother and Narcissa just watching as Bellatrix tortured her for what feel like days.

Sensing Hermione's hesitation, Narcissa said "I'm sure you're thinking about what we could possibly talk about, seeing as how my family well… you know. I promise you though that I don't bite like they do and I would actually like to offer you an apology for what happened that night in my house."

Still feeling a little uneasy, Hermione slightly nodded her head and took a seat next to her. Trying not to fidget with her hands, she folded them in her lap and kept a watchful eye on the witch in front of her.

"How do you drink your tea dear?"

"Lemon with honey, please."

Watching her cup fill, Hermione left the steaming cup where it was and wondered how the next few minutes were about to go.

"If you need more honey, please let me know. I'm one who uses one too many sugars with mine and needs to drink it sweet to the point where it would probably give someone a toothache."

Hermione gave her a small smile. She was aware of all Narcissa had done at the Manor and how she managed to get everyone she could out of there and to safety. However, it still felt a little strange having tea with her.

Sitting back in her chair, she took a sip of tea before continuing talking. "I know you probably hate me, and really everyone from my family for that matter-"

"That's not true." Hermione quickly said shaking her head. "I don't hate your son."

Narcissa raised an eyebrow. Making a mental note to come back to that momentarily, she continued to say "Alright not Draco, but I'm sure for the most part the rest are pretty high on your list. I know what I'm about to say doesn't change anything that happened to you that night or make up for what my sister did to you, but I am truly sorry for it. I stood by while it happened and for that I am not proud, but I promise you that I did what I was able to."

Hermione listened to Narcissa speak with conviction. She was a little surprised at what she heard next.

"I've never been proud of the fact that I let 'certain' events happen throughout my life, and I let certain events happen in Draco's as well, but I am proud of my son for being able to do what I couldn't."

"What was that?"

"For standing up for what he believes in. For over a year I watched my son become someone I knew he wasn't and it killed me to know all I could do was watch. I managed to do a few things here and there to try and help him, but I knew deep down he wasn't a killer, he wasn't the man his father wanted him to become and for that I am thankful. For him to run away from everything for something he believed to be wrong well… I can't fault him for that. He did what I wasn't strong enough to do myself."

Hermione suddenly felt an overwhelming amount of respect for the women sitting in front of her, but she also felt heartbroken. From what Draco had told her during their nightly talks, his home life wasn't what she had once thought it to be.

Seeing the look of sympathy in Hermione's eyes, Narcissa quickly said "I guess back to the point I was trying to make is that I am very, deeply sorry for what Bella did to you. If there is ever anything I can do to try and repay for that, please let me know."

Tucking the few loose stands of curls that had fallen from her braid, Hermione said "Thank you. I appreciate the gesture."

Giving her a nod, Narcissa said "Well, now that's been said, may I ask why you are also looking for my son tonight?"

Feeling the prying eyes of a mother start burrowing for answers, Hermione said "We have just been trying to work on recovering my memories. Since the Manor, I still am not able to really remember a whole lot that has happened to me over the past few months. I've been starting to get pieces and parts here and there, but mostly it's still fuzzy for me. I just wanted to tell him that another piece came back to day is all."

Hermione watched as an almost pleased grin spread across her face.

"So you two have been spending a lot of time together then?"

"I guess you can say that."

Nodding her head in almost delight, Narcissa took another sip of tea. "You know, last time I talked to Draco he seemed very concerned that you wouldn't want to talk to him. I'm glad to see that isn't the case."

"Why is that?"

"Let's just say I think my son had become close to you during your time spent hiding together, I don't think he wanted to lose you… you know, as a friend of course."

Hermione could suddenly feel her face becoming warm. She was about to question Narcissa again when a voice coming from behind her made her almost jump out of her chair.

"Well I wasn't expecting to see this when I came down stairs."

Draco continued around Hermione's chair until he was in between the two.

"I hope my mother hasn't been holding you hostage down here until I came."

"Really Draco, you act like I'm some kind of monster. Hermione was just nice enough to share a cup of tea with me while I waited for you."

Unconvinced of what his mother was saying, he turned to look at Hermione for reassurance.

Laughing, Hermione said "I promise your mother wasn't 'holding me hostage'. She even made me a cup of tea. I should leave though, I'm sure you two have a lot of catching up to do."

Standing from her chair, Hermione set down her cup and began to make her way out of the room.

"I won't keep him too long dear if you want to come back down soon."

Stopping to turn and look at the Malfoy duo, she said "I should probably try and get some sleep soon. I can talk to Malfoy a different night, you two should spend some time together."

Giving Draco a small smile and nod, she turned and began to head back up the steps.

"Night Granger."

Waiting until he heard the door of Hermione's bedroom open and close, he finally turned to his mother and sat down in the chair next to her.

"Should I even bother asking what you two talked about, or will you just tell me what I want to hear and later find out you professed my love for her for me."

Conjuring up another cup of tea for her son, she replied "I did no such thing. I gave you my word that I wouldn't tell her _exactly_ how you felt about her."

Giving his mother another skeptical look, he said "Well it's nice to see you. When did you get here?"

"Not too long ago. Your cousin was kind enough to bring me here, but she couldn't stay. She said she had some business to take care of. I knew the best chance of talking to my son alone was late at night and it seems I was right."

"Tonks had mentioned you were going to come over sometime to talk to me. Should I be concerned at what that might be about?"

"Can't a mother just want to come visit her son? I'm happy to hear that you and Hermione have been spending a lot of time together. I'm sure it will be no time at all before she remembers everything"

Smiling, Draco said "I had a feeling you needed your fix of gossip. Before we start talking about that though, Tonks did mention you wanted to talk to me about a 'few things'."

Shifting slightly in her chair, she began to tap her slightly chipped nails on the arm of her chair. "The reason I wanted to come see you was because I wanted to ask if you still don't have any idea on what those three have been talking about behind closed doors."

Raising an eyebrow to her question, Draco was a little confused. " _That's_ what you came over here to ask me? Mother, I've already told you I don't know what they are talking about."

Watching as she began studying him, as if looking for a sign that he was lying, Draco was glad he was skilled at Occlumency. Especially since his mother was just as skilled in Legilimency.

When a few moments of silence had past between the two, Draco was about to speak when his mother decided to be the one to break it.

"Draco, you do know that I searched through Hermione's mind back at the Manor don't you? Do you really think I didn't see what you two had been helping each other plan for months?"

Trying to keep his composure, Draco thought twice about what he was going to say next.

"If you already knew, then why bother asking me?"

Narcissa shrugged. "I wanted to see if you'd tell me yourself. Besides, I had a few things I had to think about before I was ready to discuss it with you."

"What do you mean?"

Picking up her cup and taking the last sip of tea, his mother was making it painfully slow before she set her cup back down and answered.

"Draco, what if I told you that I know where one of those items they are hunting are being held?"

* * *

October had come to an end and November had brought with it a bitter chill and harsher winds. Hermione found herself down by the beach one afternoon, bundled up and sipping a mug of warm hot chocolate. The boys were down by the water tossing rocks into the ocean, seeing who could throw theirs the farthest out to sea. Luna had also joined them and was sitting next to Hermione with her own mug of cocoa. Watching as the waves began to crash higher and harder, she thought about how odd Draco had seemed the past few weeks.

Ever since his mother had talked to him, she could feel something about him was off. They still had their almost nightly talks and he still seemed to care about helping her get her memories back, yet something was different. Hermione just couldn't figure out what.

She had even asked him if anything was bothering him, but he of course told her everything was alright and that he wanted to focus on helping her instead.

 _Damn him and his ability to elude talking about anything he doesn't want to._

Becoming frustrated with not being able to figure out what had changed and why, she reached for her bag and pulled out her copy of _The Tales._ She opened the book and began to flip through the pages.

"That's very old looking."

Hermione looked up to see Luna nodding towards the book.

"It is indeed. It's actually a book of children's stories. Ron has told me his mum used to read them to him and his siblings all the time. Did your father ever read you any stories from _The Tale of Beedle the Bard_?"

Luna nodded her head. "He would make the funniest voices when he did."

Smiling at her friend, she said "You know Ron only told you what he did because he cares about you don't you? Harry did the same thing with Ginny because he knows it would put her life in danger if they were still together."

Watching as her friend began turning over shells she found in the sand and picking them up to place in her pocket, she said "I do understand."

Hermione could hear the sadness in her friends voice, but she was glad Luna at least knew that Ron felt the same was she did. Turning her attention back to the book, she continued to flip through the pages until she heard Luna's voice.

"That's interesting."

Looking back up, Hermione asked "What is?"

Reaching out to be handed the book, Luna took it from Hermione and pointed to the symbol that had been drawn on to the page. "Did you draw this?"

Surprised, Hermione said "No, I didn't. Have you seen that symbol before?"

"Of course I have. Don't you know about the Deathly Hallows?"

Lost for words, Hermione was barely able to shake her head 'no' before calling Harry and Ron over to hear her friend explain to them what she knew wasn't just a simple doodle on a piece of paper.

* * *

Half way through November, Draco found himself alone, for once, in his room during the day. Theo and Blaise had both decided it was a good idea to split the second bottle of whiskey they had found in the basement the night before and were now both trying to sleep off their much deserved hangover.

Stretched out on his bed, he was staring up at the ceiling lost in thought. The moment his mother had told him she knew where one of the horcruxes were, he hadn't been able to think about anything else.

"What do you mean you know where one is?"

"I have been debating on telling you this for awhile now, but lately I've felt like it is my obligation to tell you. Especially since everything that happened back at the Manor."

"I don't understand. How in Merlin's name do you know where one of the Dark Lord's horcruxes are?"

"Awhile ago, the Dark Lord had asked your aunt to guard one for him and while she has kept it a secret from almost everyone, she couldn't help but rub it in my face that she was the one that was chosen over your father. She threatened me if I ever told anyone and really I have no one worth telling anyways."

Draco's mind was spinning in a hundred different directions. "Where is it?"

"Well, here's one of the many, many problems. It's in the family's secret vault, the one hidden beneath the house."

His stomach became lead. The walls of his lungs were finding it hard to re-inflate with air and he almost felt like he could be sick at any moment.

"Granger can't go back there, she wouldn't make it out a second time. Aunt Bella would make sure of that."

"If that's what they're after, I don't really see any other options Draco."

Hitting the bed hard with his fist, he knew his mother was right. If their plan was to destroy the Dark Lord and save the wizarding world, then they really didn't have any other option but to go back to Malfoy Manor.

 _I have to tell Granger, she can't leave on a bloody wild goose chase and not know._

As he continued to lie there, the feeling of helplessness was becoming almost too much for him. However a few moments later, Draco shot up from bed.

 _Maybe there is another way._

* * *

Taking the last step to the top of the landing, Hermione began to head to her room when she heard a door open. Seeing that it was Malfoy's, she smiled and said "I haven't seen you all day. Are you feeling alright? You look a little pale."

Walking over to where Hermione was standing, Draco said "Thanks for the compliment Granger."

Giving him a playful slap on the arm, she said "You know what I mean."

"Where are your two watch dogs?"

"Ron and Luna are spending some time together and Harry actually needed to go visit Andromeda's house. There was someone there he had a few questions for."

Giving her a curious expression, it was answered with "I'm sorry, but I can't tell you any more than that."

She watched as Draco nodded in understanding and asked "Are you doing okay?"

"Actually, that's why I was coming to find you. Last night Blaise, Theo and I had a little too much to drink and I've been paying the price all day. I think I'm going to try and sleep it off tonight so I just wanted to let you know that I won't be able to come down tonight and have our little talk."

Hermione looked into Draco's eyes. Nothing about what he was saying or how he was acting should have made her feel like he wasn't telling the truth, but she knew something wasn't right.

"Do you need me to get you anything?"

Smiling at the concerned witch standing in front of him, he threw his rules out the window for just a minute and reached out to lightly brush back one of the curls that had fallen out of her pony tail and tucked it behind her ears.

"Thanks for asking, but I'll be alright. Try to get some sleep tonight yourself Granger. I will see you tomorrow."

Seeing her cheeks instantly flush with the pink hue he loved to elicit so much, Draco turned and left a stunned witch rooted to the ground.

Watching Draco's door shut behind him, Hermione still felt like her legs were frozen where she stood.

 _Something isn't right._

* * *

As the clock struck twice upstairs, Hermione was pouring herself a cup of tea. She had become so used to having one before bed now that there was no way of her trying to get some sleep without one.

It wasn't long after did the opening and closing of the screen door behind her make her jump out of her seat.

"Mrs. Malfoy! You about gave me a heart attack."

Smoothing back the stray stands of hair that had come free from her apparating, she said "Please, call me Narcissa. I'm sorry to have started you, I just came to try and catch my son again. I wanted to make sure he was doing alright since our last little chat."

"He's upstairs in his room, but I don't think he is coming down tonight."

"Oh no?"

"I guess he is battling a hangover from the other night. He told me he wasn't feeling well and was going to stay in his room the rest of the night."

"Did he now? Well I'm surprised it's so bad he has to stay in him room. Malfoy men usually know how to handle their alcohol."

Taking a sip of her tea, Hermione said "I guess he had one too many. Can I offer to make you some tea?"

When she didn't receive an answer, Hermione looked at her and said "Narcissa? Is everything alright?"

Focusing her eyes onto the concerned witch in front of her, she replied "Yes, of course. I'd love some tea thank you. Black with 3 sugars please."

Taking a few steps towards the stairs, Narcissa said "I will be right back though. I'd like to check on Draco to make sure he is doing alright. Call it mother's intuition, but I think he may need something to help with the hangover. I'll be right back."

As Narcissa began to head up stairs, Hermione said "That may be a good idea. He has been acting a little off lately."

Glancing back to look at the witch, she said "You don't say?"

…..

A few minutes later, Hermione was just adding the sugar to the steeped tea when she heard hurried footsteps coming down the stairs. When she saw the look on Narcissa's worried face, she knew something was wrong.

"Is Draco alright, what's wrong?"

Taking a few shallow breaths, Narcissa was finally able to find her words to say "He's gone."

* * *

Note: Well school has officially taken over my life and this is only the second week :(

I really hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I have been dying to post this. I am really looking forward to writing the coming chapters. I'm sure you all want Hermione to get her memories back asap and trust me I do as well! I promise it will be really, _reallllllly_ soon…

Thank you all so much for all the new follows/favs! Your reviews have been so wonderful, I truly appreciate them all :)

This semester I can already tell it is going to be crazy, but I promise every free moment I have I will be writing these chapters! I will say it will probably be a couple weeks in between each one, but I will be posting them just as soon as I can.

I hope everyone had an amazing summer! If you're like me though, I am glad autumn it just around the corner

 _-Toujours._


	26. Chapter 26: Post Tenebras Lux

**Wounded**

Chapter 26: Post Tenebras Lux

Hermione could suddenly feel her pulse pounding in her ears. Trying to stay calm, she sat down the spoon and gave Narcissa a perplexed look.

"What do you mean he's gone?"

Watching as the usually stoic and elegant woman place a trembling hand on the counter to help stabilize herself, Hermione was finding it more and more difficult to stay calm.

When no response came, Hermione's voice had a little more force behind it as she asked "Narcissa, what do you mean he's _gone_?"

As her crystal blue eyes turned towards Hermione, Narcissa quickly collected her bearings. Straightening herself up, she asked "When was the last time you saw Draco?"

Walking around the counter, Hermione said "I don't understand. He's gone? Why would he leave, where would he even go?"

"Hermione, when was the last time you saw my son?"

Thinking back to the last time she had talked to Malfoy, Hermione said "It must have been at least four hours, maybe even five."

The panic Hermione could see fill Narcissa's eyes was also starting to set into her own voice as she spoke. "What's going on, do you know where he is?"

Keeping her stance still and her expression guarded, Narcissa clenched her teeth. She knew exactly where Draco was and why he had left. What she didn't know was how she was going to explain how her son's usual sense of logic had been infiltrated by something that blurs all sense of reason.

 _Love._

* * *

The night was thick with mist and fog that mixed in perfectly with the darkness. Draco's eyes slowly traced over the tall silhouettes of the hedges that surrounded the Manor. As he watched for any type of movement, the air that filled his lungs felt heavy and damp, almost suffocatingly so. However with deep, steady breaths and slow, even steps, Draco willed himself out of the shadows and began making his journey towards the place he had never wished to step foot in again.

He'd been waiting to see if some type of alarm would be triggered once he had stepped foot on to the property. He knew his Dark Mark would allow passage through the gate, but he didn't know if a new protection had been place to recognize who the mark belonged to. Now that a few minutes had gone by and nothing but the sound of wind could be heard, Draco knew he could continue on towards the house.

 _First time I've been thankful for this fucking thing._

Glancing down at his forearm which hadn't begun to burn or tingle, he took a deep breath knowing the first obstacle had been completed.

 _Now for the fun part._

Keeping his wand tight in his grasp, he inched his way further toward his destination, making sure to keep his back tight against the shrubs. The rustling of trees and soft, even beats of rain hitting the earth made his nerves stand on end. He was heading to a small panel at the back of the Manor that lifted when pushed at _just_ the right angle.

Draco had found many secret passages while growing up at Malfoy Manor. He had found ones that connected rooms to rooms, some that connected one floor to another and even a few that connected to the outside world. The one he had chosen to go through may have been the most risky to get to seeing as how the entrance to the passage wasn't hidden by brush or statues like the other ones. However, this particular passage led right into the family dungeon which was on the same floor as the family vault. Draco was using the dense fog and the late hour to his favor hoping no one would notice him slithering through the gardens.

Halfway to the house, a soft crackling sound came from behind him, which caused Draco to quickly spin around. Having his wand pointed and on guard, he hissed "Show yourself."

Just as he was about to send a stunning spell into the fog, a ghostly white bird came waddling towards him out of the mist.

Allowing his heart to start beating again, he lowered his wand.

"Fucking peacocks… I'll have to thank mother for insisting on having those ridiculous yard ornaments."

Watching as the feathered creature walked by, Draco took one more deep breath before continuing towards the house. When he finally reached the end of the gardens, he paused to look around. Still seeing no type of movement from the yard or the house, he spotted the panel under the sitting room window and made a silent dash for it.

Pressing quickly on the precise dentil brick that trimmed the house, the smell of stale, damp air hit hard on Draco's face as he squeezed his way through the small opening leading into the hidden passage.

As he softly shut the door behind him, Draco was suddenly shrouded in darkness. He allowed himself to take a moment to catch his breath and let his pounding heart slow down. Listening for any sound that might indicate they knew he was now inside the Manor, Draco was relieved when a few minutes had passed and the only sound that was heard was the methodical drops of water hitting the cold, stone floor.

Knowing he was able to continue down the passage, Draco held out his wand in front of him and whispered " _Lumos_."

A small glow of light emitted from his wand. The walls were thick with moss and the stone had started to crumble even more then the last time he had decided to escape down this passage to avoid one of his father's tirades. Taking a step forward, Draco began to slowly make his way over the rubble and past the spider wedded barricades.

His pulse was in cadence with the heavy drops of water as they fell from the ceiling and the cold night air was allowing his breath to form in front of his face only to then quickly disappear. Venturing further and further into the darkness, Draco knew that he was probably walking towards his death. However, no matter how ridiculous or dangerous his attempt may be, he knew that if he didn't try, it would be Hermione putting her life on the line to retrieve the horcrux and that was something he was not willing to risk.

Finally reaching the end of the passageway, Draco slowly placed his hand on the stone wall in front of him.

 _At least I've made it this far without being seen._

The chill of the rock sent a shiver down his spine. He knew that once he pushed open the secret doorway, he would be standing in the oldest part of the dungeon where not even the house elves ever ventured anymore.

 _Once I'm out of here, I just need to make it to the family vault. Once inside, mother said it should be where aunt Bella keeps of all of her possessions. I'm sure she hasn't put any type of dark magic enchantments on it that will harm me in any way, shape or form._

Rolling his eyes at the ridiculous thought, Draco whispered " _Nox_ " and took one more deep breath before giving the door the final push it needed to lead him out into darkness even more profound than the first.

* * *

Narcissa was watching as the determined brunette paced up and down the kitchen, listening to her ask and answer her own questions all in one.

"Why in Merlin's name would Malfoy leave? This doesn't make sense; he has no reason to…"

Taking one of her loose curls and twirling it around her finger a few times, she released it and let it drop softly on to her shoulder. Bringing her eyes back into focus, she turned towards Narcissa.

"He told me he wasn't feeling well and he was going to stay in his room all night, do you think that was a lie?"

Rolling her eyes, she said "Of course it was, but why would he lie to me? Why wouldn't he just tell me where he was going?"

Turning to look away, she muttered "Probably because he knew I would have tried to convince him not to leave."

Taking a few steps towards Narcissa, she asked "You know where he is though, don't you?"

Hermione watched as Narcissa's eyes gave her the answer before she even had a chance to open her mouth.

"Where is he?"

Keeping their stare locked, Narcissa gently began to tap her chipped, polished nails on the counter. She knew exactly where Draco had gone, but she also knew there wasn't any way she was going to tell Hermione where he had went. She knew the moment Hermione found out where Draco had gone, there would be no way of stopping her from going there herself.

 _My son would never forgive me._

Knowing that Hermione would not let up with the questions though, she knew she was going to figure out a way to convince her to stay without revealing too much information.

"I'm sorry Hermione, but I can't tell you why or where he has gone to."

Taken aback by her words, Hermione furrowed her brow as she said "What do you mean 'you can't tell me'? If you know where he is then we have to-"

"It is not 'we' who has to do anything. I'm the one who needs to go help him, and quickly."

Narcissa knew what she was going to have to do, she just hoped she wasn't going to be too late.

"I'm sorry Hermione, but I really must go. Too much time has already passed and-"

"No."

Surprised by the witch's tone, Narcissa said "Excuse me?"

Taking a few deep breaths, Hermione said "Excuse my forwardness, but no. You're not going alone, I'm coming with you."

Cocking her head to the side, Narcissa started to slightly shake her head as she said "I'm sorry Hermione, but I really can't let that happen."

"And why is that?"

"Well, for starters you don't even have a wand to defend yourself."

"I don't need a wand to use magic so your point is irrelevant." Hermione could hear herself becoming more and more frustrated, but she couldn't help it. For whatever reason, she felt that she needed to go help Malfoy no matter where he was.

"We are just wasting time arguing about this. Malfoy could be in serious trouble. Unless you can give me a good reason not to go, I don't see why I shouldn't."

Narcissa knew Hermione was right. Her son could be in serious trouble. He was walking into a place that would show no mercy to him and any family loyalty that used to be there was surely gone. Her sister would turn Draco over to the Dark Lord in a heartbeat if it meant praise from him and she knew her husband would be no different now. Every moment that passed by was another moment that brought her son closer to possible death.

While moving towards the door, Narcissa was finding it harder to stay calm. She knew she couldn't tell her the whole truth, but she knew a determined witch when she saw one and Hermione was someone who wasn't going to back down without a fight. She knew she couldn't tell her everything, but there was no time to play around with keeping everything a secret anymore. Her son's life was at stake.

Keeping her voice as even as possible, she locked eyes with Hermione and calmly said "You can't come with me Hermione because my son is risking his life for you right now and if I let you come with me, then everything he is doing will be for nothing."

The kitchen became uncomfortably silent. Outside the cottage, the winds continued to pound the walls while the low rushing sounds of the sea tried to find its way through the cracks. Hermione suddenly felt like the floor was falling out from under her and she had to grab a hold of the counter to stay standing. Her mind was racing with question after question which only made her feel more lightheaded.

Stammering, Hermione said "What, what do you mean he is risking his life for me? That doesn't make any sense, for what reason? There has to be some mistake, you have to be wrong about that."

Narcissa watched as Hermione's brain went into overdrive. She could see the look of confusion fill her eyes and before she could stop herself from asking, Narcissa said "Hermione, I think you know the answer to those questions. I know you lost your memory, but you have to remember something. A feeling or a memory… anything?"

Hermione didn't understand what Narcissa was asking. Her brain felt like it was being pulled in a million directions and the tiny holes that had been filtering her memories were trying to burst open.

"I'm sorry, but I not quite sure what you mean..."

Narcissa could still see Hermione was trying to figure out what she had meant, but the answers still weren't there. Knowing that she couldn't waste anymore time, she took the last few steps towards the door.

"I'm sorry Hermione, but I can't stay here any longer. I know you don't want to, but you have to stay. Promise me you'll stay here until Draco comes back."

The only thing Hermione was able to do was stare back at the witch in utter confusion. Her breathing was sporadic at best right at the moment and her head felt it had been pushed to its breaking point. Nothing was making sense and all Hermione wanted was answers.

Seeing that Narcissa was refusing to leave until she promised, Hermione gave her a small nod. She watched as the blonde haired witch began to leave into the pitch black night when she stopped and turned around to hand something to her.

"Can you do me a favor?" Reaching into her robes, Narcissa pulled out a small piece of parchments and quickly tapped in with her wand. Offering it to Hermione, she said "Can you make sure my son gets this?"

Hermione's eyes fell upon the blank piece of parchment that was being handed to her. Not understanding what she was being asked, she said "What do you mean? You will see him before I do."

Keeping her jaw clenched, Narcissa said "Please Hermione, just take it."

Still lost on her actions, Hermione's hand was slightly trembling as she took the paper from Narcissa. Turning it over and then back again, she still didn't understand why she wanted to make sure Malfoy was given this particular piece of parchment. Bringing her eyes back up to Narcissa, Hermione nodded again to reassure the witch that she would do as she had promised.

Giving Hermione a small nod in return, Narcissa said "Thank you" and turned once again to leave.

As she was heading out the door, she paused for one more moment. Without turning back around to look at the still perplexed witch, Narcissa said "I may not have a chance to ever tell you this Hermione, but you and my son are good together. I never had a daughter, but if I had I hope she would've been like you. Strong, intelligent, and knows what she wants in life. I know Draco can be a little guarded at times and sometimes hard to read, but you've helped him more than you'll ever know. Thank you. "

As soon as Hermione's heart skipped a beat, Narcissa was gone. Still holding on the parchment she was given, Hermione was now alone to replay those words over and over again in her head until she couldn't stand it anymore.

 _What in Merlin's name does that mean?_

* * *

If Draco hadn't reminded himself to breath every few seconds, he probably would have passed out. His eyes and ears were at full attention and every little sound made his hair stand on end. He had worked his way down and around the deserted corridors now and was that much closer to his family's vault. Keeping his wand out in front of him, he kept casting a spell to cover up the footprints he was making as he walked through the dust encrusted floors.

As he turned a few more corners, the stone hidden under the moss covered walls was becoming more visible and the torched lit passageways were beginning to better illuminate his way. The air was thick with dust and the earthy smell of decay filled his nose. Although the stillness that was surrounding him meant he was still alone, it felt as if the soft sounds of his footsteps were even being captured by the overwhelming silence.

 _Even the air is too nervous to move. I know it's been awhile since I've been down here, but something doesn't feel right._

The light radiating from the flames even felt cold as he walked by them, chilling his blood which sent a shiver throughout his body. While Draco continued towards the vault, the flickering of fire allowed his shadow to move and dance behind him before melting back into the darkness a few steps later. A certain eeriness had crept in and was now making itself at home.

Draco had always felt that the Manor was cold and lacked a certain welcoming feel. When living there, his mother had tried her best to create a "pleasant" environment to live in, but having to stick to dark shades of silver, black and emerald made it somewhat difficult. Others always commented on the lavishness and luxuriousness of his house, but for Draco it always felt uninviting and lifeless. His mother did however find one place to add some color and light to the home. She spent hours in their garden, planting any and all types of exotic flowers and bringing a sort of tranquility to the grounds the home could never do for him. The reds from the Osiria Roses, the purples and pinks from the Cactus Flowers and the all too vibrant yellows and oranges from the Hibiscus flowers brought both him and his mother a safe place to escape to. Draco was sure by now the garden had been abandoned and forgotten about, leaving weeds to come in and strangle the life out of the beauty that had once stood there.

 _That's what this fucking house is good at. It slowly sucks the life out of you._

Although the house still had a cold feeling to it, it had definitely changed. The coldness felt even harsher and the atmosphere felt hostile and dangerous. A sense of darkness had taken hold of the house and Draco knew it had no intension of leaving. Light now had no business in such a vile place.

Just as he was approaching the last hallway before it turned toward the family vault, Draco stopped. Hiding himself in the darkness, he listened carefully one last time to make sure no one was around the corner. Other than the pounding of his heart hitting against his chest, no other sounds reached his ears. Taking a deep breath, he took the final few steps until he was standing in front of a seemingly ordinary stone wall.

Bringing the tip of his wand up to his thumb, Draco muttered " _Diffindo_ ".

A thin stream of blood began to trickle down his finger. Walking up to the wall, he placed his finger on the cold stone. Hating the words that we about to come out of his mouth, he gritted his teeth before saying "Sanctimonia Vincet Semper."

Stepping back, Draco watched as the stone slowly transformed into steel, double doors. Iron shaped serpents surrounded the embossed Malfoy family crest while large sized jewels lined the edges. The snakes began to slowly circle the crest until they clicked into place to reveal two handles.

"Well, so far so good."

Grasping one of the handles in his hand, Draco gave it a small pull and proceeded inside. The door shut behind him with purpose, sending a low echo throughout the chamber. He could hear the snakes outside the door slowly move back to their original place and he was once again engulfed in darkness.

" _Incendio_."

Suddenly the torch hanging to Draco's right side burst into flames, subsequently igniting the rest around the room. One by one, each torch was lit until the very last one ignited a very low hanging antique candle chandelier to spark to life. The air in here was as still and silent as it had been out in the hallways for the flames barely moved at all. Each one gave off enough light to keep the darkness at bay, but it still wasn't enough to reach every corner of the room.

The Malfoy family vault at Gringotts was large in its own right. Under the powerful security of the Goblins, it housing most of their fortune, treasures and important documents. Although the vault hidden beneath the dark oak and perfectly polished white marble floors of the Manor hid a small fortune in itself, it also held secrets and dark items that were kept separate for a reason. At the back of the chamber, each member of the Malfoy family, including his aunt Bella, had their own room which connected to the main common room by a narrow hallway. As a child, Draco had used his to store money, gifts he had inherited from his family and of some of his most prized possessions such as his riding brooms once his father had bought him the next model higher. Even during the summer before his sixth year at Hogwarts, Draco had used his private vault to hide the two purchases he had made at Borgin and Burkes before returning to Hogwarts.

 _I can't believe I ever thought having those damn brooms were what mattered in life. Not when there are other things… other people… in this life that mean so much more._

As Draco walked through the pathways that were lined with family heirlooms, jewels and Galleons, he felt a little ashamed of himself. Looking around the room that was stocked from floor to ceiling with riches some only dream of, he couldn't help but think of the one thing that he wanted to keep safe that wasn't there.

 _I hope Granger kept her word and hasn't gone to check on me. Knowing her though, it will only be a matter of time before she does…. Such a worrier that one._

Unable to stop a small smile from creeping in at the corner of his mouth, Draco came to a stop in front of one of the hallways leading down to his aunt's private vault. He had almost made it. The doorway was in sight, but he knew just because he could see it, didn't mean getting to it was going to be easy. Knowing that his father had placed his own magical enchantments on his own private chamber years ago to keep Draco from sneaking in there to poke around, he could only imagine what his aunt had placed on hers to keep intruders out.

His pulse began to quicken as he started down the hallway. It seemed like an ordinary stone passage, but that's what scared him the most. It seemed even the light being emitted from the candles didn't dare go down the stone passageway. Taking a deep breath, Draco took the first step towards the last door that was standing in his way of helping the women he loved.

* * *

Hermione took another glance at the grandfather clock that sat in the corner of the room. To no surprise, it confirmed her suspicion that time really had come to a complete halt. She had tried to make herself a cup of tea to help steady her nerves, but had been shaking so bad that she had burned her hand trying to pour it in the process.

Making a mental note to heal herself later, she started to make her way towards the screen door again only to stop just short of it.

"Where am I even going to go? I have no idea where they could be, and if I'm not here when they come back they may put themselves in more danger by going to look for me."

Cursing under her breath, Hermione walked back for the fourth time to the stool in the kitchen and forced herself to sit down. Immediately her foot began to tap on the floor as Narcissa's last words to her began to replay in her mind.

"What did she mean by she may never have a chance to tell me those things? They're both coming back here, I won't accept anything else… and what in Godric's name was she implying when she said 'good together'?"

Suddenly Hermione could feel her checks start to flush with the thought of Draco and her as a couple. She would be lying to herself if she said she hadn't been having some sort of feelings for him over the past few months, but even in her head it still sounded a little bit crazy.

Glancing over at the piece of parchment still sitting on the counter, Hermione gently picked it up with still trembling fingers and turned it over.

 _What could Malfoy possibly be doing to help me?_

* * *

The moment Draco had stepped foot into the hallway leading to his aunt's private vault, he had experienced nothing but pain. The air that was filling his chest felt like he was swallowing fire. Somehow the passage knew he didn't have permission to walk down it and it was doing everything in its power to stop him. Halfway down, he suddenly experienced a sharp, stabbing pain somewhere in his abdomen, as if something was crushing his organs as hard as it could. Unable to breath, he would have to stop and wait until the pain subsided and would take a few more steps only to have to stop again to catch his breath.

Stumbling for just a moment, he was able to catch himself. His head was starting to become hazy and he could have sworn every time he looked at the door ahead of him, no matter how far he walked it wasn't getting any closer

Gritting his teeth upon feeling a sudden burst of pain, he muttered "Fuck her and this stupid shit. I have to be getting closer, there's no way I have been walking this long and have only come this far."

His will to keep moving forward was starting to wane. The pain he was feeling was becoming more and more excruciating with every step he took.

"This is it. This is where I'm going to die and Granger will never know how I feel about her because I was too stubborn to tell her before I left. Bloody hell I'm as pathetic as Weasel."

Taking another gasp of air, this time it felt like small needles were pricking his throat as it went down. Looking down at his hands, he could see small burn blisters starting to form on his exposed skin. His vision was becoming blurry now as well and he placed his hands on the cold stone floor.

 _This is what she wants. She wants me to give up, to surrender to her fucked up torturous ways._

Picking his head back up and forcing his eyes to focus on the door, Draco knew he had to try and counter whatever charms his aunt had placed in the hallway. Pushing off of the ground, he forced himself into a standing position.

Gripping his wand as tight as he could, his strained voice began casting any and all counter jinx spells he could remember. He tried ones he had learned in schools as well as one he had read about in books from his father's library. He knew since his aunt was powerful in the art of torture curses, it would have to be a powerful counter as well.

One after the other, Draco could feel himself becoming weaker with every failed attempt. His body felt like it was becoming too heavy to support and braced himself against the wall to stay standing. He knew if he didn't break it soon, he was surely going to pass out from the pain.

Taking shallow, frequent gasps of air, Draco lowered his wand. Wracking his clouded brain for any other spells to try, he was slowly being overcome with the feeling of defeat.

 _I'm a fucking failure, once again. Only this time I'm letting down Granger and she doesn't even know it yet. What is so wrong with me that I can't even manage to do one decent thing in my life?_

Trying his best to keep his eyes open, Draco was about to let himself succumb to the darkness that was inching its way closer when it hit him when it came to him.

Suddenly remembering an old counter jinx he had come across a few times when reading as a child, Draco forced himself to raise his wand one more time and whispered the word " _Libero_."

A spark of blue and white light filled the whole corridor. The feeling of fresh air came flooding into Draco's lungs as inhaled. Although his body felt worn down and battered, the pain in his abdomen quickly vanished.

Coughing a few times to try and force the feeling of sand in his lungs out, Draco turned his head to look down towards his aunt's vault and couldn't help but laugh.

Seeing as he had actually only made it a few steps in from the entrance, he said "Bloody hell. I went through all of that and only made it a few feet? I don't even want to know what else she had waiting for me further in."

Taking a few more deep breaths, Draco straightened himself up and gingerly made it the rest of the way up the hall until he was standing in front of the door.

"Quick and painless, right?"

Holding his breath, he reached for the handle and quickly pushed the door open. Relived to find that the door gave way without any fight, he held up his wand and whispered "Lumos."

His aunt's vault was pitch-black as he entered it. The light from his wand began to glisten off all of the gold and silver that littered the room. Thankful that his mother told him what to look for, he was hoping he would be in and out quickly. However, the room was fairly large in size, and finding a small gold cup seemed almost impossible.

"Everything is bloody gold in this damn room, how the hell am I suppose to find it?"

Walking as carefully as he could, he made sure to not touch a single item. Although he was on guard for any more protective charms that may have been placed on the room, he was praying to Salazar there were none. He was sure in his weakened condition he wouldn't be able to take much more.

Making his way to the back of the room, something green caught his attention. Turning his head to see where the flash of color came from, his heart dropped. Dangling in one of the corners, still covered in dried crimson blood was Hermione's necklace. It was hanging above a small mantelpiece, almost like a trophy on display. Focused on that now, Draco made his way over to it and without thinking snatched it off its perch.

Quickly realizing that right below the necklace was a wand that was no doubt Hermione's he took that as well. His body was almost trembling with hate. That night came flooding back to him and he could hear Hermione's screams in the back of his head. He was becoming lost in the memories and pain again, so much so that he didn't hear the door opening behind him.

Clutching her necklace and wand, Draco placed them in his back pocket when the chill of a familiar voice behind him almost made him drop everything. Quickly spinning around and holding up his own wand, Draco's eyes dilated in fear as he stared at his father.

"Well, well, well. Look who decided to come back home."

Draco couldn't move. He had to remind himself to breathe again, although it seemed like all the air was being sucked from the room.

Lucius gave a small wave of his wand and suddenly the torches in the room burst into flames. "Did you really think I wouldn't know who comes in and out of my own home Draco? I would have imagined you would have been smart enough to know you should stay away after everything that happened the last time you were here. I guess you're more of a disappointment than I had originally thought."

Every nerve in Draco's body was on fire. He had thought about a million different scenarios in his head about seeing his father again and what he would say, what he would do. However, they all end in the same way.

"How is that filthy Mudblood by the way? Still alive I take it seeing as you're here trying to retrieve her wand."

Raising an eyebrow, Draco wondered ' _Did aunt Bella not tell him about the horcrux? If he doesn't know the real reason I'm here, maybe I can stall him long enough to keep looking.'_

Watching his father take a step towards him, he said "Pity really, the world could do without filth like her-"

Keeping his wand aimed towards his father, Draco said "Don't you dare say another word about her."

His body was seething with rage. He could feel his magic running through him to the tip of his wand and it felt like power. All his life he had been too obedient, too conditioned to stand up to his father.

 _Not this time._

"If anyone in this lifetime has been a disappointment, it's you. You took your family and subjected them to a life of hell. Every day, little by little this family you said you loved was replaced by your own selfish needs. As a father you're suppose to protect your family, to make sure no harm comes to them and what did you do? You placed them right in its way."

"I'm not your father, not anymore. Not after you disgraced the family name and brought shame upon it. No son of mine would run from an opportunity such as you had."

Clenching his jaw, Draco could feel his heart pounding. Fire was now running through his veins and there was no stopping it. Needing to keep searching the room though, he shifted ever so slightly to the left to try and get a different vantage point.

"Believe me, the feeling's mutual. How can I call you a father when you allowed what you did to mother? I mean for fuck's sake, you beat your own wife and allowed others to do the same!"

It happened in an instant. Draco was thrown backwards, crashing right into the stone wall. His head was ringing and his whole body crumpled to the floor in a heap of pain. Trying to get up as quickly as he could, he unfortunately wasn't fast enough.

Feeling an invisible rope coil around his neck, he was dragged backwards and lifted off the ground until he was face to face with him father.

"How _dare_ you speak to me in such a manner! If the Dark Lord didn't want you alive for himself to finish off, I'd make sure you begged me for death before I gave it to you."

Draco was grasping for whatever was clenched around his neck, but couldn't grab a hold of anything. He could feel himself start to black out when suddenly the noose loosened and he dropped to the floor. Gasping for air, he was about to reach for Hermione's wand that was still in his back pocket when his father came at him again.

A blast of red light hit Draco square in the chest. The fire that was in his veins suddenly felt very real and he struggled to keep a scream in. Looking up, he saw his wand just a few feet away and made a dive for it.

Grasping his wand, Draco was able to shoot a Stupefy charm towards his father, but was unfortunately blocked. Suddenly feeling the invisible ropes become wrapped around his whole body again, he was unable to move.

His body was hit with multiple hexes, one right after the other. Each time the pain intensified and the need to scream out was inevitable.

"You think it was wise to try and jinx me? I'll make sure you know your place in this world now Draco. You and that little Mudblood both belong in the ground, buried with your disgusting views."

Trying to maintain consciousness, Draco could feel the ropes becoming tighter and tighter. Feeling a sharp pain dig into his chest, he was pretty sure he had broken a few ribs. As he was watching his father inch ever so closer to him, that's when he saw what was behind him. On top of a cabinet in the opposite corner, a small golden cup sat on top of it.

Seeing Draco struggling to stay focused, Lucius asked "Are you listening to what I am telling you?"

Draco needed a plan. A plan, to somehow get close enough to the cup and escape his father's grasp. Slightly grinning, Draco thought of a plan and said "No, not really. You sort of lost me the moment you opened your fucking mouth to talk."

Although it hurt like hell, his plan was working. Lucius had thrown him hard against the opposite wall, getting him that much closer to the cup. Draco could have sworn he heard a few more bones crack, but he was thankful he hadn't passed out yet. Licking his lips, he could taste fresh blood.

Watching his father storm over to him with his wand pointed, he said "Next time you talk, you'll be begging me for mercy."

Draco was about to lead him on again when he suddenly saw his father be thrown backwards almost twenty feet and crash into a pile of old furniture. Feeling his bonds loosen again, he picked himself up off the floor and looked around to see where the jinx had come from.

"You touch one more hair on my son's head and I'll make sure you're the one screaming for mercy Lucius."

Draco's eyes widened as he heard his mother's voice speak from the shadows. As he watched her suddenly appear, he was surprised to see the look that was etched in her face. He knew his mother was an excellent dueler, but had never seen her in action. She always carried herself with poise and grace, being the loyal wife to a man that didn't deserve her. However, the expression she now bore was that of a women who was ready to fight till the ends of the earth for her child.

"Get up Lucius, I know you're just buying yourself time until whoever you notified comes to your aid. You never were able to fight for yourself, always having to have someone do the dirty work for you."

Narcissa stepped in between Draco and her husband. Keeping her wand ready, she said "Draco, you have to leave, now. Take the cup and go. I'm sure he called for backup before coming down here."

Shocked by his mother's words, Draco immediately tried to hold up his wand in order to help fight their way out. However, he suddenly realized his wand hand had been too badly injured for him to even clasp it shut. Trying to ignore the searing pain that was now shooting up his fingers and arm, Draco forced himself to hold his wand tight.

"There's no way I'm leaving you alone here! We can both get out of here together-"

"No! Draco I am not asking you, I am telling you to leave here now. I can hold him off myself, but you have to go before more arrive."

Shielding herself from a curse Lucius had thrown at her, she quickly countered back which sent gold and jewels flying everywhere. Taking the brief moment she had, she quickly turned around and grabbed Draco by the shoulders.

"Listen to me Draco, this is bigger than me. You have a chance to make your life count for something good. I was too afraid to take mine and I've accepted it, but you… you're going to help undo what I idly sat by and allowed to happen. I'm so very proud of you. Now please, take the cup and go, Hermione's waiting for you."

Draco was staring into his mother's pleading eyes. His vision was staring to fade in and out, but he could tell the expression on her face was that of a woman who was desperate for her son to leave. Frozen where he stood, he was unable to accept what he knew he was going to have to do. Feeling his mother let go of him to block another attack, the sounds of hexes ricocheting off the stone walls brought him back to reality.

Grabbing his wand, he made a break to the cabinet where the cup stood. Having to climb up to reach it, he quickly grabbed it before the whole thing started to topple over. He knew he was going to have to run if he was going to make it out the same way he came without being caught. Dodging a stray curse, Draco began to run towards the door when he stopped just short of it.

Turning around, he was watching his mother duel with the same grace and poise she always carried herself with. He knew he had to run, but he couldn't take those final steps out the door.

Narcissa fired another hex towards Lucius and then another on either side of him which caused the mountain of Galleons to come crashing down on top of him. Feeling her son's eyes staring at the back of her, she put on a smile and turned around to look at him.

"I'll be alright Draco, I promise. Remember, post tenebras lux. Now go."

As if his mother's words brought new energy into him, Draco knew he had no choice but to run. Turning, he started sprinting down the corridor. He had made it out into the common room of the vault when he heard voices coming from just outside. Running to hide behind one of the large armoires, Draco held his breath when he heard his aunt cold voice.

"How the fucking hell did they manage to get in my vault!"

Hearing his aunt send a hex across the room, he watched as hundreds of pages of parchment went flying. Waiting to hear his aunt make her down the hallway, he waited a moment longer to see if she had come alone. When no one else seemed to be with her, he started to make a dash for the door when a blood curdling scream came from down the hall followed by a flash of green light that flooded the entire room.

Draco froze where he stood. Every cell in his body was telling him to run, but he couldn't. He was waiting to hear a voice, but the only sound that came was a loud thud as if something fell hard to the ground. He couldn't believe what had just happened, his brain wouldn't allow him to. Usually it would have woken him up from his nightmare by now, but this wasn't in his mind.

Suddenly he was running. Running back down the passageways, taking turn after turn and this time allowing his footprints to stay visible in the dust. He was running. Running from the truth that was now following him from that cold, dark room, but was unwilling to believe it. He stumbled a few times, needing to brace himself against the walls only to have the chill of the stone shock him back to life. It wasn't until the cold night air hit his face did he realize he had somehow made it back outside. Forcing himself to keep moving, he sprinted towards the gardens. As he ran past the wilted and decaying flowers, all he wanted now was to leave the place was once his sanctuary.

* * *

If it hadn't been for the clock's soft chimes to indicate another hour had passes, Hermione would still be convinced that time had stopped. Not being able to stay in the kitchen any longer, she had thought about searching Draco's room for anything that might tell her where he had gone. She had made her way around his room three times now, only to find a few books and clothes scattered across the floor. Frustrated at what little she could find, she sat herself down in one of the chairs.

At one point during the night, she had started to drift off. She was on the edge of sleep when suddenly the sounds of footsteps could be heard coming up the stairs. Jolting awake, she stood up from the chair and held her breath, waiting for the doorknob to Malfoy's room to turn. Hearing the door down the hall quietly open and shut, Hermione knew it must have been Harry coming back from Andromeda's.

Trying to steady her frantic breaths, Hermione continued to stand there frozen. Fear had completely taken hold and her only movements now were of her body beginning to tremble.

…

Night was slowly starting to fade away, allowing dawn's early morning glow to slowly take over. When the first warm rays of light hit Hermione's skin, it felt like she was suddenly pulled out of a trance. The cool morning air filled her lungs as she took a deep, long breath. Lifting her hand to her face, she brought her fingers to her cheeks and felt the trail of tears that had dried at some point on her face. Walking over to the window, she could see a blanket of white fog was starting to surround the house, strangling everything else out of view.

 _Where are they, they should have been back by now._

Turning around, she was about to head out of Malfoy's room when she heard it. The sound of the front door creaking open made its way to her ears and her heart stopped. Holding her breath, she could hear soft footsteps began to make their way across the kitchen, up the stairs and down the hallway. Adrenalin was now rushing through her veins, yet she couldn't move a muscle. When the last few steps approached the door, Hermione watched as the doorknob slowly began to turn.

Draco didn't even remember walking up the stairs. Realizing he had made it to his bedroom door, he slowly pushed it open with his wand and the cup still clutched in his hand. Taking a few steps inside, it wasn't until he had shut the door did he realize he wasn't alone.

Looking up to meet Hermione's eyes, Draco was shocked to see her standing there. He hadn't been able to look at himself yet, but by the expression of her face, he knew he must have looked like he had just come back from hell.

"Granger, what … why are you in here?"

Hermione was having trouble understanding what she was seeing. She knew the voice coming from the person standing in front of her was Malfoy's, but that's where the comparison stopped. Bruises littered his body. A large piece of his shirt had been torn off, revealing a large gash that looked as if it had no intension to stop bleeding. His face was smudged with dried blood while one of his eyes was so swollen it was hard to see the grey color staring back. She could see he was holding his side and was sure by the way he was wheezing at least one of his ribs was broken.

Seeing the color drain from Hermione's face, Draco took a step towards her.

"I know I must look-"

Only making it a few feet further, Draco clutched his side in pain. Lifting up his shirt, he could see a large purple and blue bruise on his abdomen that was becoming larger by the minute. Knowing he was probably bleeding internally, he lowered his shirt and gritted his teeth.

Cursing under his breath, he was trying his hardest not to fall apart while Hermione was still in the room. Looking back up to meet her panicked stare, he was suddenly lost for words.

Hermione had a million and one questions now flooding her mind. However, there was one in particular that she needed to ask first, only she was too afraid to hear the answer.

"Malfoy… where's your mum?"

Draco's heart felt as if it was being ripped from his chest. All the anger, all the hate and sadness that had been building under the skin was finally coming to the surface and there was no stopping it. All he was able to do was stare back at Hermione and hope she would know the answer because saying it would make it all too real.

Tears began to flow down her checks. The need to comfort Malfoy suddenly overcame her and without a second thought, she flung her arms around him and held him as he finally allowed his eyes to do them same.

"Malfoy, I'm so sorry. I…"

She didn't know what else to say. She felt helpless at the moment until she felt the warmth of Draco's blood begin to seep through her shirt and reach her skin.

Pulling herself away, she said "I wish I could help heal you, but I don't have my wand. I feel utterly useless right now, I'm so sorry. I know this is a lot to ask, but if you will let me use your wand I can try and help heal you."

His eyes were brimmed with tears. Draco was having a difficult time focusing on what Hermione was saying at the moment. Forgetting what was in his back pocket at the moment, Draco instinctively gave Hermione his wand.

Helping Draco sit on the edge of the bed, she took the wand and a small gold cup from his hand and set them on the bed. "I'm sorry if this stings more than normal. Since it isn't my wand it will probably fight me a little and cause my charms to be a bit harsher."

Her hand was still trembling as she took the wand in her hand. Quickly casting a spell to alleviate the swelling around his eye, she knew she needed to make the bleeding on his arm stop first. She gently placed her fingers under his arm and elevated it slightly to see the whole wound better. The chill of his skin made her shiver as she began to slowly wave his wand and begin whispering the healing charms. She had expected a good amount of resistance from his wand, and although there definitely was some there, it was far more giving then she had ever expected.

Slightly furrowing her brow in question, she thought ' _That's strange. I would have thought Malfoy's wand would have surely put up more a fight with me using it.'_

Intrigued at the behavior of the wand, Hermione was at least relieved to see that the bleeding had finally stopped. She then slowly began to move down his arm and began casting as many charms as she could think of.

Her thoughts became a mixture of charms and wounds. She would heal one only to find at least two more. When she warned Malfoy that placing his rib back in to place may hurt, it pained her more when not even a wince came from him. She had now moved on to his left hand and noticed a few of his knuckles were broken. As she began to work on healing those, she suddenly was overcome with a thought that she had done this before. Shaking it off, she looked up to see Malfoy staring off in to his own world. The look of overwhelming grief had filled his grey eyes and it was tearing her apart. Bringing her focus back onto his hand, she slowly began to mutter the healing charms when something in the back of her mind made her stop.

If Draco had been paying attention to Hermione, he would have noticed her slowly put down his arm and take a step back. However, at that moment he was lost in a nightmare of thoughts. The events of that night were playing like a loop in his head and no matter how hard he tried to turn it off, the sound of his mother's body collapsing to the floor continued to ring in his ear. It wasn't until he suddenly realized the warmth that he had felt from Hermione's skin was now gone that he pulled himself out of the darkness and turned his attention towards her.

Seeing that she was now standing a few feet away from him and her amber eyes were as round as ever, he asked "Is everything alright Granger, you're shaking?"

Hermione felt as if she was having an out of body experience as her mind began to fill with memories that had been barricaded shut for too long. Every single piece was now flooding back in and connecting the rest of the puzzle. From the time spent at Snape's, finding her parent's bodies in their own home and to her whispering in Draco's ear that night under the stars, it was all coming back. It was taking everything she had to stay standing as she looked into his eyes as if for the first time in a very long time.

It was quiet, almost too low to even hear, but Hermione was able to whisper "Draco…"

Concerned, Draco pushed himself off the bed and said "Granger, you're scaring me. What is it-"

Suddenly it hit him. Hard enough that he almost needed to sit back down on the bed, but he forced himself to stay standing. He was looking at Hermione as if waiting for her confirm what he was too afraid to ask. His whole life had been changed that night and here he thought it was changing again.

Finally needing to know why she was staring at him in such a way that was making it even harder to breathe than before, he said "You called me Draco. You haven't done that since…"

It only took him a moment to know the answer. The look on her face said it all and he refused to control himself any longer. In an instant he had grabbed her arm and pulled her toward him. Placing a hand on her warm, wet checks, he threaded his fingers through her soft curls and placed his forehead onto hers. As he waited for a moment to confirm what he already knew, he felt her lean in to his embrace.

Slowly brushing away the fresh stream of tears that were now falling down her cheeks, he learned forward just close enough that his warm breath could brush against her ears as he said "I love you Hermione."

Hermione could feel the pounding of Draco's heart against her chest when she heard him speak. Tightening her grasp on his tattered shirt, she closed her eyes and was about to bury her face in his chest when she felt Draco slowly lift her chin.

As he softly placed a kiss on her warm lips, everything else suddenly fell away. He kissed her slowly, softly and it was comforting in a way the world hadn't been to him in months. Pulling her even closer, Draco knew he was never going to let her go. As her sweet smelling curls glided across his face and the heat from their breath began to mix and mingle between them, he began to lose himself in her. Her touch, her smell, everything felt like it was for the first time again.

Suddenly feeling Hermione hesitate to continue, Draco's heart was about to drop when he heard the four words that would save him from having to soon enter back into reality.

"I love you too."

* * *

Note: I'll start this off by apologizing now for doing what had to be done :( Believe me when I say it hurt me when I was writing it. I'm sorry for how long it has taken me to post this chapter too, but I promise you when school isn't controlling my life I am writing as fast as I can.

I am so thankful for all the new favs, follows and reviews. You guys really are the best. It makes my day when I get a new one :)

I hate to say it, but it will probably be a few weeks until the next one again. Midterms are coming up and just thinking about them is causing me to start panicking.

A few notes about this chapter: Libero means "to set free" in Latin and I know it's been awhile since this chapter – Post tenebras lux means "After the darkness, light".

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter even though it's a bag of mixed emotions. I wish I could say it gets "happier" from here but…. It wouldn't be the complete truth….

I hope you all have a great weekend!

- _Toujours._


	27. Chapter 27: Reality

**Wounded**

Chapter 27: Reality

The morning light was now spattering the clouds with endless hues of pinks and blues. Long shadows cast themselves across the floor, growing shorter and shorter as the sun continued to rise. Draco had embraced Hermione so tightly that he was sure he was making the wounds to his ribs worse, but he didn't care. His mind was a blur, filled to the brim with every conceivable emotion known to man. He could feel Hermione's warm breath seep through his shirt, sending a wave of heat throughout his chilled body.

Hermione's breathing had become sporadic at best. Her eyes were brimmed with tears and she knew Draco's were to. The few heavy drops that had managed to escape were silently falling down his cheeks and hitting hard on the top of her head. She was now playing everything over and over again in her mind, making sure to remember every single detail that she could. Some memories made her heart break all over again, while others would suddenly bring her comfort. Some even made old wounds ache just at the mere thought of having Bellatrix stand over her, ready to inflict any pain she felt necessary to gather information.

When the silence was suddenly broken between them, Hermione looked up to meet Draco's glossy stare.

"So you really do remember everything, it's all back?"

Hermione nodded. "It's strange. Even though I have experienced all of these memories before, it sort of feels like it's the first time again."

Biting the inside of her cheek, she asked "Why didn't you tell me? You could have told me about everything that had happened between us."

Watching as an annoyingly handsome grin crept across his face, Hermione listened to him say "You really think that the Hermione who knew me before everything we went through together would hear me say that we had a relationship with each other and believe me? You'd probably try to slap me again."

She was about to make an argument as to why that was completely absurd, but deep down she knew he was probably right.

"Well, maybe I wouldn't slap you, but I would have probably called you insane."

Curious, she asked "Did everyone but me know about us then? Even Harry and Ron?"

Clenching his jaw for a moment, he finally answered "Yes, but I had asked them all to not tell you."

"Why would you do that?"

"Because like you just said, you probably would have called them all insane too, and I knew if I could make you see me differently once then I could do it again."

Hermione gave Draco an empathetic stare. The heat that was now being shared between them was at first comforting to Hermione, but when she suddenly felt it become warm and damp, she pulled slightly back to look between them.

Noticing the bottom of her shirt was now the color of crimson, she said "Draco, you're still bleeding. Sit down so I can help you."

Looking around for where Draco's wand had dropped, she muttered "If only I still had my wand, I could do such a better job."

Draco was being escorted back to sitting on the bed when he stopped. Having completely forgotten what was hiding in his back pocket, he slowly reached around and took not only her wand, but the emerald necklace out of its hiding place.

Hermione didn't notice at first what Draco was doing. Confused on why he was refusing to sit back down, she said "Draco, I need you to keep going back towards the bed. You still have more injuries I have to tend to…"

Her words were suddenly caught in her throat when she saw it. She was looking at her vine wood made wand and mother's necklace being clutched in Draco's hand. At a loss for words as to how he could possibly have those items, all she could do was stare when suddenly it hit her.

Staring from her wand to his silver eyes, Hermione asked "Is that where you went last night? Did you go back to the Manor to try and retrieve these?"

Stretching his hand out for her to take back what belonged to her, he whispered "Not exactly.."

"What do you mean 'not exactly'?"

Finally sitting back down on the bed, Draco slightly winced as he said "It's a long story Granger, one that I promise I will share with you, but right now I'll get to the point."

Turning as far around as his body would let him, he reached for the small cup that still sat on the bed where Hermione had placed it. Taking it in his hand, he then offered it to her.

"This is the real reason I went back to the Manor."

Hermione furrowed her brows. Looking down at the small gold cup, she took it from Draco and began to turn it over to better look at it. She held it by both of its handles, noticing a badger had been engraved on its side. It didn't take long after seeing that for her eyes to dilate.

Slowly looking up at Draco, Hermione's voice was almost inaudible as she asked "Is this…?"

Draco was only able to give her a look of conformation when he suddenly heard two sets of unmistakable footsteps coming towards his room. Knowing who was about to make his bedroom theirs again, he quickly whispered "Please don't mention my mother to anyone yet."

Having heard them as well, Hermione quickly whispered back "I promise I won't" and grabbed her bag that had been sitting on the floor. Shoving the cup inside just in time before the door to Draco's room swung open, she dropped it back out of sight again.

In an almost sing song voice, Theo bust through the doorframe and said "Rise and shine Draco, we have an annoyingly beautiful day on our hands, whoa-"

Stopping halfway into the room, Theo eyed Draco up and down and said "What in Salazar's name happened to you?"

Draco was in no mood to talk to anyone at the moment, much less someone who had skipped his way into his room. He was about to tell Theo to leave when he saw Blaise soon follow behind him.

"Of fucking course, don't you two ever, _ever_ knock?"

Chuckling, Theo said "Well what's the fun in that? If we did I probably would have missed whatever is going on in here."

Seeing as he walked into something he couldn't explain, Blaise said "Speaking of what's going on in here, care to explain why you look like absolute fucking shit and Hermione looks like she is covered in your blood?"

Hermione knew Draco was in no shape at the moment to talk and asked "What are the odds of getting you two to leave?"

"Pretty much as good of odds as getting Blaise here to drop that bet I lost with him, isn't that right mate?"

Hermione watched Theo raise an eyebrow to his friend.

"Not going to happen I'm afraid."

Turning back to look at Hermione, he said "And there's your answer."

Rolling her eyes, she looked at Draco who seemed to also know it was a lost cause unless they wanted to get wands involved. Sighing, she said "Would you at least close the door?"

Blaise reached out his hand and slowly pushed closed the bedroom door, looking a little too eager on hearing their explanation.

Gripping her wand, she looked at Draco and asked "Is it alright if I keep using some healing charms on you while you talk to them?"

Giving her a small smile, Draco nodded. The moment she started, his lungs began to feel as if they could expand and contract without the sensation of a thousand needles piecing them with each breath. Turning his attention over to his two friends who looked disgustingly like a dog slobbering over an anticipated new bone, he took a deep breath before he began.

"I guess I should start off by saying Granger has all of her memories back."

Both Theo and Blaise looked at each other than to Hermione who was trying her best to ignore them and concentrate on what she was doing. When only silence preceded their prying stare, it was Theo who chimed in first.

"Don't tell me that this is all from a shag? I mean, I had my suspicions that Granger was wild but I never thought-"

"I swear to Salazar Nott if you finished that fucking sentence I don't care how much it hurts me, I'll make sure your face looks worse than mine does right now."

Draco was about to stand from the bed when he felt Hermione place a hand on his leg and whisper.

"It's not even worth the effort Draco."

Turning to give a look of complete disgust to the two Slytherins, she was met with a shrug and Theo saying "Can you blame me for going there? I mean if my girlfriend suddenly remembered who I was after all the time, I can only imagine what I'd do-"

"Oh for Merlin's sake!"

Knowing she had completely stopped all of the bleeding finally, Hermione stood from the bed and was about to inform them of how serious this was when she heard a door outside in the hallway open and then close. When she then heard two people head downstairs, she looked to Draco.

"They will want to know about my memories and-"

"Don't worry, I understand Granger, go see them. I can handle these two."

Giving his hand a small squeeze, Hermione picked up her bag. Making quick work out of the bedroom, she headed down stairs after her friends.

Draco looked from the door that had just shut back to Theo and Blaise. Taking a moment to gather his thoughts, he tried to figure out just how and where to start telling his friends everything he was able to.

Theo was patiently waiting for Draco to begin talking, something which he was not very fond of doing. He was about to tell his friend to "spit it out already" when he began to realize something different in Draco he had never seen before.

He watched as Draco's stare became further and further away from reality, as if becoming truly lost in another world. He had never seen his friend so grim, almost defeated, as he was in that moment.

Sitting back in his chair, Theo furrowed his brow and said "What's really going on here Draco?"

* * *

Hermione had taken the first flight of stairs two at a time, but once she had just about reached the landing to the kitchen, she slowed her pace. Hearing her friends rummaging through the cupboards to find something to eat, she took a deep breath before taking the last step.

Handing Harry a plate, Ron asked "You were gone for awhile last night, did everything go to plan?"

Harry sat down at the table and began to pick at a piece of toast in front of him. "Yeah, about that… I need to talk to you about what happened, but we should wait for- Hermione! Good morning."

Taking a seat next to Harry, she said "Did your talk last night with Ollivander and Griphook not go well?"

"Well, I wouldn't say that..."

Seeing Hermione give him one of her skeptical stares, he added "But we do have a few things to talk about."

Grabbing the cup of tea Ron was now handing her, she said "I have something to tell you guys as well."

Looking up from his breakfast, Ron asked "Did you find any more information last night? I know you said you were going to try and find anything else you could on the few ideas we had on where a horcrux could be."

Glancing at her beaded bag she had placed on the floor next to her, she began to chew on the inside of her cheek.

 _If only you knew. How am I even going to begin to explain to them how Draco not only knew about the horcruxes, but managed to find one._

"Before we even get to that topic, there's something else I have to tell you."

Realizing what their friend was about to say was of a more serious nature, Harry and Ron each set down their cup and looked to Hermione.

"This morning, about an hour or so ago, all of my memories came back to me."

Hermione watched as her friend's eyes grew twice their normal size. The room was only silent for a moment before Harry said "Hermione that's wonderful news! We're so excited for you."

Smiling at her friend, she said "Thank you. It's been a little bit of an emotional ride this morning though. I remember how I ended up at my family cabin and finding my parents, but I also remember-"

"You remember him too don't you?"

Ron was staring out the window as he asked Hermione the question. Confused, she said "Are you referring to Draco? Of course I remember him."

She could tell Ron seemed annoyed. "Draco told me you two already knew about our relationship. I know that we'd probably have to talk about it somewhat still, but I figured you'd be happy that I have my memories back.

"It's not that I'm not happy for you Hermione. I'm glad you do, it's just…"

Trying to find the right words to say, Ron finally looked Hermione in the eyes as he said "What in Godric's name were you thinking?"

Taken aback by her friend's question, she was suddenly lost for words.

"Ron, come on mate. You promised to let it go."

Harry was shaking his head, knowing that the next few moments were going to be nothing less than unpleasant.

"How can I let it go? I've been trying to figure it out for months and I've come up empty. You do realize he's a Death Eater don't you? We've all seen his Dark Mark here and I'm sure you have as well. Your whole life Hermione, all he has ever done was make not only your life, but our lives hell. Did he just simply stop caring about you being a Muggle-Born, I mean what were you thinking?"

Hermione's heart was pounding against her chest. She knew that once her two best friends found out about her and Draco, it would be a little difficult for them to accept. However, listening to Ron question her judgment again and again was becoming incredibly irritating.

"I know it may be a little hard to understand, but Draco isn't that person anymore and he most certainly isn't a Death Eater."

Trying to keep her temper under control, she thought about trying a different approach.

"I know it must have been a bit of a shock to you both, but you have to understand something. Draco was there for me, through it all. He was there when I found my parents, when I needed someone the most. Trust me when I say neither one of us expected anything to happen, but it just sort of did. He isn't the same person you think he is, I promise you."

Watching Ron rolled his eyes as he slouched back in his chair, she took another shaky, deep breath.

"Listen, I have been trying to be understanding about you needing an explanation about Draco, but you're not even trying to see my side. After everything he's done for me, for us, I don't understand how you can even think-"

"What in Merlin's name has Malfoy ever done for me other than make my life hell?"

Hermione's mouth was gaped in shock. She could see Harry off to the side, knowing that no matter what he said Ron was going to say his piece about her and Draco. A second away from telling Ron exactly what Draco had done for all of them, she heard the screen porch door swing open.

As Tonks made her way inside, she could immediately feel the tension in the air.

"Well this certainly isn't the atmosphere I thought I'd be walking into on this beautiful morning. What's going on here?"

Trying to put on a smile for Tonks, Hermione said "I was just telling Harry and Ron that this morning my memories came back."

"Oh Hermione, that's so wonderful!"

Walking over to give her a hug, she asked "Why the long faces then?"

"Well, Ron here was telling me how my choice in men is apparently something he has a say in."

Letting off a sigh, Tonks said "I thought you were over that."

Looking around the room, the purple haired witch added "I'm surprised Draco isn't down here to put his two cents in with all of this. Is he still upstairs with his mother then?"

Hermione's whole body tensed. As she felt the color start to leave her face, she was only able to mutter "What?"

"When I went to visit mum this morning, she said that Aunt Narcissa came over here last night and never made it back home. I told her I'd come over here to check on her and I'm assuming she's upstairs with Draco."

Hermione sat frozen in her chair. She had promised Draco that she wouldn't tell anyone about his mother just yet, but she hadn't expected anyone to show up looking for her.

Noticing Hermione's sudden change in attitude, Tonks tilted her head to the side and said "Hermione, is everything alright?"

* * *

Draco still sat on the edge of his bed, trying his best to not flinch every time he took too deep a breath in. Although Hermione had reset his broken ribs, it still hurt like hell sometimes to breathe. Watching as the news of what he just told his friends set in, he was holding back a whole new wave of emotions.

Theo and Blaise both had their heads bowed in silence. Although Blaise had known Draco's mother well, it was Theo who was also now fighting back tears. Narcissa had been like a second mother to him after his own had passed. Although Narcissa couldn't prevent his father from doing as he saw fit in the punishment department, she made sure to always have a room ready for him if he ever wanted to escape his home for a night.

Lifting his head, Theo's voice was dry as he spoke. "I still don't understand why either of you went back to that fucking house."

Clenching his jaw, Draco said "She wasn't supposed to be there. She found out that I had gone and followed me."

"Well why the bloody hell did _you_ go back there? What is Salazar's name could have possessed you to step foot in that house ever again?"

"I told you I can't tell you everything about last night, but you both deserve to know this."

Blaise finally looked up as well. "I'm so sorry mate, I don't even know what else to say right now."

Annoyed at the amount of sunlight now flooding the room, Draco pushed himself off the bed and walked towards the window. Grabbing the curtains and pulling them shut, he heard Theo ask "So you're saying that your father did all of that to you?"

"Yep, every last bruise is from dear old dad."

Shaking his head, Theo said "Fuck. If that's how your father greeted you after running away I can't even imagine what my dad would have done if he had caught me back at home."

Watching as his friend hobbled back towards the bed, he asked "What do you plan to do?"

Hesitantly grabbing his wand off the floor, Draco said "I don't exactly know right now. I haven't really had time to think about what just happened let alone know what my next step is."

Draco was about to sit back down on the bed when he heard the front door downstairs open and close.

 _Who the hell could be here?_

It only took him a moment to realize who it could possibly be and what she could possibly be coming over for. His mother's absence from his aunt's house would surely not go unnoticed.

Knowing he had to go down there, Draco turned to his friend as said "I think Granger went downstairs to tell Potter and Weasel about her memories and I'm sure my name has come up a few times. When we go down there I don't need any side comments from you two alright? This is going to be painful enough to get through."

Blaise turned to Theo and nodded. "I'm not the one you have to worry about saying something."

"I can only promise that I will actually try this time to keep my mouth shut, but I make no guarantees."

Draco sadly knew that was the best he was going to get out of his friend. Placing his wand in his back pocket, he slowly made his way out of the bedroom and down the stairs.

* * *

Hermione hated lying, especially to someone she cared about. Unsure of exactly what to say, she just remained silent until her brain was able to figure out a way to answer Tonks question without breaking her promise to Draco.

Becoming frustrated, Tonks crossed her arms as she said "Hermione, I'm not really sure why you have suddenly lost the ability to talk, but I'm starting to become worried here. Are Draco and his mother even here?"

Knowing she couldn't stay silent much longer, Hermione was about to just tell Tonks to just go see Draco for an answer when she heard footsteps coming down the steps. As she watched the three Slytherin's make their way into the kitchen, it was pretty obvious what everyone's first question was going to be.

Although Draco looked significantly better than when Hermione first saw him, he still had a good number of visible bruises and healing scraps all over his body. His uneven gate as he walked didn't help their image either.

With half the people in the kitchen wide eyed at what they were seeing, Tonks stammered as she asked "Draco, what the hell happened to you?"

Looking around the room, Draco could see that all eyes were now on him. He had no plan of action for how he was going to explain not only his appearance, but Tonks' inevitable question on where his mother was.

Theo and Blaise took a seat on top of the counter, looking almost like spectators at a sporting match. Although Draco hoped that the upcoming conversation he was about to have wouldn't call for any commentary from the crowd, he had a feeling his two friends were going to be more than willing to provide some.

Leaning against the kitchen island for support, Draco stretched his neck to the side and said "Well it's nice to see you too Tonks."

"Cut the crap Draco, you look like you've been hit by a train and dragged behind it. What's going on? Where's your mother, is she still upstairs?"

Still unsure of how he was going to tell Tonks what had happened, he continued with his silvery stare. His heart was racing, but his mind felt like mud. His thoughts were becoming disorganized and hazy as he tried to make sentences out of the words that were swirling around in his mind.

Hermione could see the look of panic set in Draco's eyes. Every one of his muscles seemed to be tensed, and although she wanted nothing more than to help him through this, she knew it was up to Draco to tell his story the way he wanted it told.

Also confused at his appearance, it was Ron who was the next person to ask "Bloody hell, you do look awful. I must say though, it is an improvement from before. Tell me, who do I have to thank for making you look better?"

Shooting her friend a deadly stare, Hermione hissed "Ron, that's enough."

Draco's sense of self control was long gone. With his brain not thinking as clearly as it should be, the first words out of his mouth were "Sorry to break it to you Weasel, but seeing as how my father let me escape yet again, I doubt that he'd consider it a success."

It was as if Draco's words hit Ron right in the gut. He watched as the redhead's color quickly drained from his face. The room fell uncomfortably silent with the exception of the soft chimes of the clock coming from the floor above.

As Harry sat there, more unbelieving then confused, he furrowed his brow as he asked "Are you saying your father did that to you? How is that possible?"

Ignoring Harry's questions, Draco pushed back his blond hair a few times as he began to regret what he had just said.

Tonks felt her heart drop into her stomach. "Are you trying to be funny Draco, because there's no way you could be serious."

"I'm not trying to be funny I promise. I can't tell you why, but I made a visit to the Manor last night and let's just say it didn't go as well as I would have hoped."

As if all at once, the kitchen burst into a firing line of questions. Draco could barely discern who's were who's, but there was one thing in particular amongst the chaos of noise that stood out. It was a question that needed no words, only able to be asked by a pair of dark soulful eyes staring right at him.

Draco looked eyes with Tonks. Ron and Harry's voice were now not the only ones in the room. He could tell Theo and Blaise were now involved, but what they were saying he had no idea. Giving a small nod to his cousin, Draco began to walk across the kitchen and made his way through the front door.

Knowing Tonks was following behind him, Draco continued down the front pathway a little ways before stopping. The cold winter air nipped at his skin. The sun was shining, but its warmth was absent. Waves could be heard crashing along the shore line while a group of Sanderlings flew overhead. He watched as they made their descent and landed amongst the sand and stone.

When he heard Tonks stop behind him, he finally turned around to face her. Before he had a chance to say anything though, she was the first to speak.

"Your mother isn't here is she?"

Shaking his head, Draco said "No, she isn't."

"What happened last night Draco? Why in Merlin's name did you ever go back there?"

Taking in deep, heavy breaths, he was trying to keep his voice steady. "I can't go into detail on everything, but I promise you I had no choice. There was a very good reason I needed to go back to the Manor and my mother found out what I was doing. She followed me there. My father and I were in the middle of a fight when she came in and…"

He felt a sudden weight of guilt fall onto his chest. It was becoming harder to breath and even more difficult to stay standing. Everything was coming to the surface. The pain, the guilt, every emotion was starting to break free.

That slight sting behind his eye told him he had to look away from his cousin. Now staring towards the small group of birds running up and down the shore with each passing tide, he whispered "She wasn't supposed to be there.. I should have stayed and helped her fight, but I don't think I could have prevented…"

His voice trailed off. He couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence. Hoping that his cousin would start to fit the pieces of the puzzle together herself, he suddenly heard her feet move towards him. As he looked back at Tonks, he was soon embraced with a hug that gave him his answer.

Tonks could feel Draco begin to crumble. Keeping him standing, she told him the only thing she knew to say.

"I'm so sorry, Draco."

* * *

Silence began to fall throughout the kitchen as everyone watched as Draco and Tonks headed outside. It wasn't until they had left did Harry turn to Hermione.

"Do you have any idea what he is talking about?"

The inside of her cheek was now raw. Switching to the other side, she shook her head and said "I really shouldn't say right now, it isn't my place."

Leaning back and resting his back on the cabinets, Theo said "It really isn't any of your business anyways Potter. By the way, real nice comment there Weasel. I know it's probably difficult, but next time try to use that brain of yours before saying anything. In fact, to be safe I would just never say anything at all."

"Sod off Nott. How the hell was I suppose to know who did that to him. Why the hell did he even go back there? Maybe he was trying to get back in good with daddy, but even he doesn't want-"

The sound of both Theo and Blaise's feet hitting the floor made the dishes shake. However, before they could say a word, it was Hermione rising to her feet that made Ron stop speaking.

Hermione's chest was heaving with anger. Feeling the blood rush to her cheeks, she tried as hard as she could to keep from yelling.

"I've had enough of this Ron. I don't know why you can't just grow up and realize that some people can change. Take for example the fact that we are living with three Slytherins, all with family ties to You-Know-Who, and they all left that world. At their own risk! I will not sit here and let you even suggest that the reason Draco went back there was because he was trying to go back to that world. Not after everything he has risked and lost to help us last night!"

Ron's face had barely begun to fill back with color for it to only rush out again. He was at a loss for words at not only Hermione's anger, but for what she had just said.

Harry however, slowly leaned across the table and asked "Hermione, what do you mean everything he has risked and lost for us?"

Watching his friend slowly shake her head, he glanced over and saw two eager Slytherins also waiting for her to answer that same question. Pulling back to sit in his seat, he instead asked "Tonks was asking about Draco's mother earlier. Is something wrong, why is she still upstairs?"

"She isn't upstairs Harry."

Confused, he asked "Why does Tonks think she is here then?"

"Well, she did come here last night, but left soon after."

Still confused, Harry was about to ask another question when he suddenly watched a small tear roll down Hermione's cheek. As soon as he began putting everything together, the front door opened to reveal Draco coming back in alone.

Closing the door behind him, Draco could sense all eyes were once again on him. However, it was only one set of eyes that interested him the most.

Without needing to say a word to each other, Hermione looked at her friends and said "I'll be right back."

Following Draco up the stairs, she stopped with him at the top of the landing.

"Tonks went back to Aunt Andromeda's. She knew that telling her mother what happened was going to take its toll on her. I only told her what I was able to, I promise I didn't say anything about the horcrux."

Giving Draco a small smile, she said "Thank you, I'm sure she wasn't too happy to be left out on the details."

"No, but I think she understood."

Hermione could tell Draco had been crying. Her heart was breaking for him and was going to ask if he wanted to go talk when she heard him say "I'm sure you three have a lot to talk about. You should go back downstairs."

"I'm not going to leave you now, not after everything that has happened. I can talk to them after, you shouldn't be alone right now."

Draco smiled at her. Bringing his hand up to tuck one of her curls behind her ears, he leaned in a placed a soft kiss on her lips.

"If it's alright with you, I think I'm going to try and lay down for a bit. Besides, you need to go tell those two about now being a step closer to ending this."

Before Hermione could ask, Draco said "And I promise, I will tell you everything I can about knowing where it was. For now though, I really think I just need to lie down."

Nodding, she said "Draco, I can't even begin to tell you how grateful I am for what you did last night. I'm still at a loss for words on what I could possibly say to show you what this means to not just me, but to all of us. You risked everything to get this, how will I ever repay you?"

Draco smiled down at Hermione. "You're cute when you worry, do you know that?"

Feeling her cheeks blush, she shook her head and sighed. "I won't keep you, I'm sure you want to be alone, but I am going to ask Theo and Blaise to check in on you from time to time. I'll come see you as soon as I can, I promise."

Giving him a questioning look, she asked "Are you sure you don't want some company?"

Draco placed one more kiss on her parted lips and said "I promise I'm alright."

She could tell that he wasn't only trying to convince her with his words, but he was also trying to convince himself. His eyes gave him away more than he probably realized, but she knew not to push him on it right now.

Reaching her hand up to cup his face, she stood on the arches or her feet and leaned in to whisper in his ear.

"I love you."

Her words sent a shiver down his spine. They were warm and full of sincerity and it gave Draco a sense of security he so desperately needed. Wrapping his arm around her waist, he pulled in as close as he could.

Whispering those same three words back, he finally released her from his hold. Hermione watched as Draco walked back to his room. As soon as his door closed, she saw another open. Luna took a few steps into the hallway and realized she wasn't alone.

"Hermione, good morning. I thought I heard a commotion down stairs a little while ago and thought I better make sure everything was alright. Did I miss something?"

* * *

Draco had spent the rest of the day in his room. He wasn't alone with his thoughts for long before Theo and Blaise decided to join him. However, for the short amount of time he was alone he was more than alright with having them for company. It seemed like his brain was stuck in rewind and was being forced to relive every moment of last night again and again. His nightmare was now reality and he couldn't help but feel as if he was responsible for creating it.

Theo and Blaise tried to make conversation with him, but for the most part he would just listen to what they were discussing. At one point, Draco had made his way over to the window and saw that the three Gryffindors were sitting down by the beach having what looked like a serious conversation.

"So I know you said you couldn't tell us the reason you went there, but Hermione did say something interesting earlier."

Turning from the window, Draco asked "What do you mean?"

In an almost nonchalant manner, Theo said "Oh, she just mentioned how you risked a lot to help them with something. Care to elaborate on that?"

Clenching his jaw, Draco answered "Not in the slightest."

"Fair enough. Besides, I can probably guess that it has something to do with whatever they are planning in their secret little meetings they have every night to somehow end this war, am I right?"

Draco knew Theo was looking to get a reaction out of him to validate his suspicions. However, he knew better than to move a muscle.

 _I always knew he was too smart for his own good. If only eaves dropping and deduction skills were useful in school._

When Theo didn't get any acknowledgment from Draco, he continued on with his conversation with Blaise. Draco was now watching as Hermione slowly began to push around sand, making small sandcastles as she did.

 _I'm guessing she has probably told them about the cup by now and how she had told me all about their plans. Hopefully Weasel doesn't lose his shit again when he finds out what I know._

Feeling his eyes become heavier and heavier, he tried again to shut them and allow himself to sleep, but he would always be suddenly startled back to reality when a flash of green light lit up the back of his eye lids. Opening his eyes back up, he forced his heart to slow back down as he continued to listen to the soft whispers of conversation fill his room.

* * *

Hermione had walked downstairs with Luna and was passed on the steps by Theo and Blaise.

"Keep on going Luna, I'll be right there."

Once she was out of earshot, Hermione was about to ask Draco's friends a favor when Theo said "Don't even worry about it Hermione."

"We were just on our way up there now to annoy him."

Smiling at Blaise, she nodded and said "thank you."

Joining up with her friends in the kitchen, Hermione, Harry and Ron told as much as they could to Luna. From Hermione regaining her memories, to what happened in the kitchen and finding out about Narcissa. Hermione hated keeping Luna in the dark still, but when her friend asked why he went there in the first place, she had to tell her that it was something they couldn't talk about.

After they had all finished their breakfast, Luna excused herself to go upstairs and shower. Hermione had a feeling that she felt hurt again about not being included, but it was still best she didn't know everything. Taking her leave as an opportunity to really talk, the three Gryffindors took this time to walk outside knowing there wouldn't be any way for someone to overhear them.

Hermione started at the very beginning; from leaving to go to Professor McGonagall's office all the way to the present. She left out no detail, even when she was talking about finding her parents. She explained to them how Draco and she became closer and closer during their time together. When she told Ron about seeing Ginny in Diagon Alley and what she had told her, his eyes lit up.

"You actually saw her, talked to her? How was she?"

Hermione nodded. "She was definitely still her spunky self. I don't think anything could break that girl's spirit."

Seeing not only Ron's, but Harry's face spread into a smile gave Hermione hope that what she was about to tell them next would go over well. However, when she was starting to explain how she and Draco both started to help each other achieve their goals, the boys were both more than upset.

"He knows? Draco knows… about the horcruxes and what we are doing?"

Harry's jaw was still halfway open when Hermione spoke.

"I told you, he sort of figured it out on his own. Not exactly that it was horcruxes we were looking for, but I needed his help. He knew those books backwards and forwards and he saved me a ton of time."

"Hermione, have you gone completely mental? I know you think he is this changed person, but what if he suddenly goes back and tells You-Know-Who-"

"I swear to Godric, if either one of you says anything about Draco turning on us, I will hex the two of you both to Hogsmeade and back."

Looking towards her beaded bag, she thought about her wand that was now residing in it. Reaching for it, she kept it closed as she started talking about the rest of her journey. How she ended up at the Manor and everything that happened there. It was hard to relive a lot of the memories she was sharing with her two best friends. It felt like she was reopening old wounds. Once her story brought her to the cottage, she also told them how she and Draco had been meeting each other at night once everyone had gone to sleep.

She then fast forwarded to last night and explained how she had ran into Draco before heading to bed. How he seemed off, but she had no reason to suspect anything.

"I had gone downstairs out of ritual and made myself some tea when Narcissa showed up. Somehow she knew where Draco had gone and she went after him."

Hermione then explained how once she left, she waited up all night for them to return. When Draco came back alone, she knew what had happened.

"I still don't understand why he went there in the first place."

"Well, that brings me to what I need to tell you next. I'm not sure on the details or how he even knew it was there but.."

Hermione reached for her bag and pulled out the small golden cup.

"Draco knew where a horcrux was."

She watched as her friends became speechless. It took them a few moments to realize what she had just said. It was Harry who reached for the cup first and took it in his hands.

"It's Helga Hufflepuff's cup Harry. We finally have one less we have to look for and we can use the sword to destroy it!"

It was at those words that Harry snapped back. Looking up at Hermione, he said "I still need to tell you about my night."

Wondering why she suddenly felt uneasy, she said "What do you mean? Did you not find out the information we needed?"

Ron added with a slight chuckle "You're acting like you did something terrible Harry. Just tell us."

However, when he saw that his friend didn't laugh with him, Ron also became nervous. "Harry, what happened?"

* * *

What had started as a light autumn breeze that morning had now turned violent, bringing with it one of the worst storms Draco had seen since living at the cottage. Standing at the bedroom window, he listened to the howling winds as it made its way up the beach and slammed into the walls of the house, as if demanding entrance. The rain was coming down in sheets so thick that there was no way of knowing what was happening outside just a few feet in front of him. The heavy drops hit hard against the house, telling him that any leaves that had been able to survive so far would be on the ground and gone by morning. Hermione's sandcastles were surely gone by now too, melting back into the earth and becoming lost in the ground.

Wanting to feel the rain's bitter sting on his skin, he slowly raised his hands to the lock on his window and cracked it open. A gust of wind rushed in and made laps around his bedroom. Rain was being carried inside, hitting hard against Draco's already chilled skin. They bit and nipped at his flesh, causing a rush of air to escape his lungs. Now that he was alone again, his brain was finally beginning to processes everything that had happened to him the previous night. He was now alone with nothing but his thoughts to keep him company and it was starting to terrify him.

Everything started to come rushing back. Every step he had taken, every breath he had allowed himself to take, every single moment that had led up to his mother's death was replaying over and over in his head.

 _I shouldn't have left her there, I should have known better! I was leaving her there alone to fight what I knew would be a losing battle and I fucking did nothing._

Fighting the urge to punch the wall to his left, he continued to clench his fists tighter and tighter until the tops of his knuckles turned white. Realizing that both of his hand were now shaking under the pressure, Draco slowly unclenched them and continued to gaze outside the open window. He felt his pulse racing as his mind continued to wander. The longer he stared, the sharper the voices were becoming in his head.

Draco closed his eyes. Although his father's voice was now by far the loudest, it was his grey eyes that were piercing through his brain. The cold, unrelenting stare of someone who didn't care if they killed their own flesh and blood was making Draco's body shiver. He had never seen his father look at him with such disdain. It had been clear to Draco in those moments when they were fighting one on one that his father had every intention of turning him over to the Dark Lord and he didn't care if Draco was on the verge of death when he did or not. He knew his father was never one to show affection or love or any type of emotion that showed the slightest bit of weakness as he called it toward another human being, but Draco at least had felt a sense of family loyalty growing up with him. However, the moment Draco heard his father's icy voice behind him down in the dungeons, he knew even that was gone.

Hearing small, muffled footsteps in the hallway, Draco quickly opened his eyes and wiped his rain soaked face with his sleeved right before hearing a small knock on his door.

"Come in."

Hermione slowly pushed open the bedroom door to find a room consumed by shadows. The one candle that was lighting the whole room sat in the far corner and was just barely bright enough to illuminate Draco's silhouette standing by the window. The chill in the air sent a shiver down Hermione's back as she stepped further into the room and softly shut the door behind her.

"If this is a bad time, I can come back later-"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence Granger. I was wondering if Potter and Weasel were going to try and keep you hostage all night."

Slightly grinning, Hermione rolled her eyes and said "We've just finished talking. Even though I have been here for a few months, now that I have my memories back we had a lot to catch up on. "

Making her way to the open window, she came up to stand side by side with Draco. Taking in a deep breath of salty air, Hermione relished the feeling of the storm that was raging on outside. She watched as the night sky suddenly lit up with a flash of lightning which was soon followed by a low rumble of thunder somewhere off in the distance. The electricity that was in the air was now seeping into every pore of her body and she gladly allowed it to consume her.

Gently leaning her head onto Draco's shoulder, Hermione said "I really do love a good thunderstorm."

Grinning at the sudden warmth from her touch, Draco smirked and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her in even closer.

"I know you do."

Feeling him place a small kiss on top of her head, Hermione looked up at the blonde haired wizard and asked "How are you doing? I know we haven't been able to be alone much until now, but I hope you know you can talk to me about anything."

Draco gave her a small smile. Her concern for him was something he greatly treasured, but at that moment all he wanted to do was to keep allowing the rain to try and slowly wash away the pain that was becoming almost too much to bear. All his heart could handle at that moment was to continue pumping blood around his body while he forced his mind to find a path out of the darkness that had began to take hold.

"I do know, I promise. I just… If it's alright with you I was hoping to just try and finally get some real sleep tonight. Maybe we can talk about my mother tomorrow and you can fill me in on what you can with what you three talked about. I just want to try and not think about it right now. I've had enough time spent with my thoughts for one day."

Giving Draco a small nod, Hermione completely understood his hesitance to talk about his mother. She had been standing in his shoes not too long ago when she found her parents murdered, unable to find a way to even begin the process of accepting what was now reality. Hermione knew he would talk to her when he was ready. Knowing what it felt like to be on the edge of darkness and not know what monsters were lurking in the shadows, she only hoped he would talk to her soon.

Hermione gave his hand a tight squeeze and said "I should let you get some rest then."

Placing a kiss on Draco's cheek, she was only able to take one step away from the blonde wizard when she suddenly felt his hand pull her right back to where she had been standing.

"And where do you think you're going?"

Raising her eyebrow, Hermione smiled. "Well, I was about to go back to my room to try and get some sleep as well."

Pulling Hermione even closer, Draco began to shake his head. "You really think that I would let you go sleep alone now that you remember us? Tisk, tisk Granger, I would have thought you were smarter than that."

Playfully slapping him on the shoulder, Hermione said "I didn't want to be a distraction to you, I know that we are both are completely exhausted."

Draco knew she was right. His body still ached with bruises and healing bones while his mind was having trouble keeping up with even the simplest of thoughts. However, it was the first time the two of them could be truly alone without any interruptions and Draco was intending on showing her just how much he had missed her these past few months.

Placing his free hand on the small of her back, Draco closed the few inch gap that was still separating them. Letting go of her hand, he began to move the tips of his fingers up along her arm. Feeling where his aunt carved her mark into her skin, Draco's stomach turned to lead as he continued along until his hand was cupping the nape of her neck. Tilting her head up toward his, Draco stared into Hermione's amber eyes. The warmth he felt from them was enough to cause the hair on the back of his neck to stand at attention. He hadn't been able to have this close of a connection with her in months.

"I hope you know Granger that not a day goes by that I don't think about how much I failed you that night at the Manor. I should have done more or known that talking to Pansy to try and stall was the worst choice I could have made. I should have known better, but I'll promise you this. I will do everything I can to make sure that nothing like that ever happens again. I've already failed once at protecting someone I love, I'm not going to make that mistake twice"

Hermione watched as the flames of the candle danced off of Draco's silver eyes. She could feel his heart pounding against her own chest while the soft whispers of his breath grazed over her cheeks. He was looking at her as if he hadn't seen her for years. Taking in every moment he could as if he would never be able to get enough. However, although he was trying to put on a brave face, she could see all the pain and hurt being trapped behind his stoic façade which only made her heart ache worse.

Draco could suddenly feel all of the emotions that had been pushed down again and again that day make another break for the surface. He was sure that every humanly reaction possible had been felt at least once that day and the night wasn't even over yet.

Struggling to get another sentence out without completely falling apart, he did manage to say "I don't think I could handle losing you again Granger."

Hermione was sure that the sounds of both their hearts pounding was loud enough now to hear from outside the room. Her chest was heaving as she felt the weight of his body start to fall on to hers. She continued to stare into his eyes, realizing that they were now saying everything his words could not express.

His hand moved further up and his fingers began to gently play with her thick auburn hair. He allowed them to become lost in her soft curls as he slowly leaned in and rested his forehead on to hers for a moment before leaning further in. Only inches from her lips, Draco felt her slightly hesitate, but didn't pull back.

Taking a deep breath in and smelling the slightly sweet smell of mint, Hermione said "Draco, you're still recovering from your injuries, and I know how much you're hurting right now…"

Feeling the heat building between them, she didn't dare move. Instead, she closed her eyes to try and refrain from giving in to the temptation that was practically vibrating in her veins and down to her bones.

Whispering, Hermione asked "Are you sure this is the best idea?"

Still only inches away, Draco began taking slow, deep breaths. She was right, he was hurting. Hurting more then he would allow himself to admit. He knew what reality held for him and it was intending to destroy him. However, there was one thing that was allowing him to keep his head above water.

"This may be selfish, and I know it isn't the solution, but I'm going to ask you for something."

Hermione opened her eyes and was met with a silver stare that glistened in the candle light. Speechless, all she could do was to answer with a slight nod.

Draco's hand now rested behind her ear while his thumb was slowly running small circles on her cheek. He felt her slightly push her head against his touch and it made his heart pound even harder.

"You are the one thing in my life right now that makes any sense, the one thing that brings me something other than heartache. Just for a moment, I want to be lost with you. Somewhere that doesn't involve pain and suffering and the inconceivable truth that I know exists. I'm going to kiss you Granger and ask you to please not leave."

Unaware she had been holding her breath as she listened to him speak, Hermione took a shaky breath in and let it out. Bringing her own hand up to rest on Draco's cheek, she said "I promise Draco, I'm not going anywhere."

It only took him a second before Draco dissolved the space between them and took her parted lips with his. Hermione's warm breath mingled with his as his hands almost began to act on their own accord. Burying his hand deeper in to her curls, he tilted her head back even further. Draco didn't know how he managed to pull his lips away from hers for a moment when it was the last thing he wanted to do, but somehow he did just long enough to reach in his back pocket to pull out his wand and whisper a silencing charm on the room and placed a locking charm on the door.

Hermione felt Draco begin to lead her towards to bed. His mouth had begun to move down her jaw line and then the length of her neck. With her breath caught in her throat, she felt his free hand tug at her shirt and then delicately begin to slide it up her body until she had no choice but to let go of her hold of him. Lifting her arms over her head for him to finish pulling it up and over, her arms were still in the air when she felt Draco put his mouth back onto her skin as fast as he could, sending a charge throughout her body.

Draco could practically feel the electricity in her skin as his hands began to reach every bare inch he possibly could. Reveling in her smell and taste, he remembered how deliciously sweet and uniquely hers it was. Feeling that they had reached the bed post, he made quick work of lifting Hermione up and on to his mattress. Once there, Draco processed to climb onto his bed while taking his own shirt off in one smooth motion.

Feeling the weight of Draco's body crawl over hers, Hermione ears become filled with her own uneven breaths that echoed around the room. The only sound that mingled with them was the low roar of the wind as it continued to swirl about. She felt the warm breath fall from his lips as he moved across her torso, becoming harder and more urgent with each pass.

Hearing a small moan escape Hermione's mouth, Draco's eyes glanced up and noticed her lips were now slightly swollen from his. The dim light from the candle was still bright enough to see her cheeks were now stained pink the way he had always loved them to be. Reaching under her back, he unclasped her bra which gave him enough slack to push it up and out of his way.

Suddenly Hermione felt Draco's tongue and teeth begin to bite and suck at her breasts. Arching her back even higher to lean into his need to taste her, she threw her head back onto the pillow and held her bottom lip with her teeth. Each kiss felt like a wildfire was spreading through her body. Reaching for him, she grabbed hold of his hair and pulled him even closer.

Giving one final kiss to Hermione's soft skin, Draco began to work his way back down her stomach while his hands began to unbutton her pants. He loved the small sound of longing she made as he sat up to take hers off and then went to work on his. In a matter of seconds, he had also slipped off both his boxers and her panties as the palm of his hand began to run over her hips. The feeling of her warm, soft skin beneath his was all that filled his mind now. He began to lose himself in each little gasp and moan she let slip past her teeth, every slight movement she made under his touch made him more and more lost in her warmth and her scent. Draco couldn't even begin to imagine a night now where falling asleep without her was an option.

Feeling Draco's mouth trail further down, his hands slowly pushing apart her legs until he was using the width of his shoulders to keep them apart. Trembling under his touch, she exhaled a few shaky gasps. Hermione couldn't seem to catch her breath or do a single thing other than lose herself as Draco's mouth made its way up her thigh until he pressed his tongue into her heat that ached for him. Gripping his hair tighter in her hands, she held on while he licked and sucked her past the edge of her limits.

The moment Draco heard his name fall from her lips as she dug her nails into his scalp he knew he couldn't wait any longer. Crawling back over her, leaving a trail of kisses as he came back up to her neck, he felt Hermione's hand curve up over his shoulder blades and pull him as close to her as she possibly could.

With the window still open, the room was still being filled with the cold night air. Hermione could see small puffs of air with each breath they took, but the heat that had built between them was more than enough to keep each other warm. Hermione's skin felt like it was on fire as she tried to steady herself. For just a moment, she was able to catch her breath when she suddenly felt Draco push himself inside of her. Every muscle in her body tightened in a way that sent her close to another release.

Draco began to slowly move his hips. Already so close to his own climax, he needed to be careful not to over indulge too quickly. He loved the feeling of Hermione craving his movements beneath him, wanting him to go as far as he could inside of her. Propping himself up on one elbow, Draco cupped his other hand around the back of her neck to help pull himself deeper and deeper. The soft whimpers and cries he was eliciting from her could have been more than enough to send him off the edge as well.

Hermione's heels dug further into the mattress to help move her hips in to a new angle. Every time she did this she could feel Draco blow out a breath as if trying to steady himself. What was even better was the fact that she made him say her first name on the last movement she had made.

However, he must have seen her take pleasure in this because the next moment she heard him whisper "So you think that was funny huh?"

His voice flowed through her in waves that made her shiver one after the other. Feeling his pace change, she dug her nails into his skin even harder. It was hard and fast and she had no choice but to meet him. Her moans became in time with his body and she clung to his shoulders for support.

Draco felt Hermione's leg wrap tightly around him. Placing a hand underneath her, he lifted her up to where he wanted and continued to thrust himself harder and faster each time. She was matching his movements and could feel her tightening around him.

The candle had now burned itself out, leaving nothing to fill the room except the sounds of pleasure and the low whispers of the wind. Hermione's heart was pounding so hard against her ribs, she was sure any moment now it would break through. It only took a few more seconds before she succumb and unraveled around him.

Feeling Hermione release underneath him, Draco took her mouth in his and kissed her hard and deep. It didn't take long for him to soon follow. Their lips broke apart, both to exhale as he too shuttered over top of her.

The two lay there in each other's warmth and shaky breaths. Although there was no light in the room, Hermione was sure she could see Draco's silver eye's gazing over top of her. Feeling his hand reach up and slowly brush away a few stray curls from her face, she leaned into his touch.

Draco placed one more kiss on Hermione's lips before lying down next to her. He felt her roll on to her side and he slipped his arm under to pull her in. With her head resting on his chest, he listened to the storm continuing to rage on outside.

Hermione however was listening to the steady beats of Draco's heart. Her head silently rose and fell with each breath he took as her mind began to wander.

After a few minutes of silence pasted, Draco smirked before saying "I forgot how much I have missed hearing that."

Bringing her mind back to the present, Hermione asked "Hearing what?"

"Your mind working in overdrive. What is it this time?"

Chuckling under her breath, Hermione said "It's nothing."

Even in the dark, Hermione knew the unconvinced look Draco was shooting her way. Biting the inside of her cheek, she finally said "Its just… I was thinking what would have happened if I had never remembered you, what if I never was able to tell you that I did love you?"

Draco was suddenly lost for words. Those questions were what haunted him every day for the last few months and every night he would come up with nothing for an answer. Hermione not remembering him was just never an option for him, no matter how hard or how long he had to try.

Giving her a tight squeeze, Draco said "I have to confess something Granger."

Looking up at Draco, Hermione said "What's that?"

"That night, when we were in the woods and falling sleep under the stars, I heard you whisper something that night. Do you remember what you said?"

Hermione's eyes grew twice as big as she said "You heard me? Why didn't you tell me?"

Clenching his jaw, Draco said "Because unlike you, I'm use to running away from my emotions. Don't get me wrong, I've been pissed at myself every single day that I didn't tell you that I felt the same way that night."

Taking a deep breath, he continued to say "I guess my point though is, is that I did know how you felt Granger, and it only made me fight harder to make sure you did find your memories. There was no chance in hell that I was going to give up what we had."

Hermione's heart was racing again, but this time it was for a completely different reason. She listened to Draco talk about their relationship and she couldn't help but smile.

Reaching up, she placed a kiss on his cheek and said "Like I said before, I'm not going anywhere, but I do think we both should try and get some sleep."

Tracing a few circles into her back, Draco asked "Do you want me to close the windows?"

Shaking her head, Hermione reached down to grab the blankets and said "If it's alright with you, I'd like to leave them open."

Taking Hermione back in his arm and feeling her head lay back down on his chest, Draco nodded and said "I should have known it was a silly questions. Get some sleep Granger."

Both now completely exhausted, it didn't take long for them to close their eyes and start to drift off. Draco hadn't been this close to actual sleep in weeks; however just before he reached it a startling thought sprang into his mind which caused his eyes to snap open.

 _That bloody fucking nightmare. It's not even a nightmare anymore, it's my damn life and I let happen._

Draco's heartbeat suddenly quickened. His mind was about to unlock the doors and allow the darkness that had been scratching to come back in when he heard a soft whisper.

"I think I understand now what you mean by being able to hear my brain working too hard. I know you'll talk to me when you're ready, but know that I love you and that I'm here for you alright?"

Her words were like the key he needed to contain the monsters that were once again trying to break free. Hearing those words made him suddenly feel as if he would somehow survive the reality he so desperately wanted to escape.

Taking a few deep breaths, he whispered "I love you too."

A few moments later he was sure she had finally fallen asleep. Her deep, even breaths hit against his arms and Draco listened to each one. Finally closing his eyes, he began to follow her lead and drift off. Even though he knew that come morning, although reality was something he greatly feared, he was going to be able to face it as long as he faced it with her.

* * *

Note: So sorry for the delay in posting this chapter! I would have had it up earlier today, but there is a Harry Potter marathon on TV right now and I've been a little distracted

I'm really excited to start writing the upcoming chapters and getting into how Harry's little meeting went. It's definitely going to take the story to some interesting place...

Thank you guys so, so much for all the amazing reviews I have been receiving! They make my whole week, you have no idea. Thank you for all the new favs/follows as well!

School is still keeping me very busy, but I'm hoping that with the holiday's coming up soon I will have more time to write and can post the next chapter sooner :) I hope everyone enjoyed this one and had a great weekend!

 _-Toujours._


	28. Chapter 28: Information

**Wounded**

Chapter 28: Information

Draco finished counting the number of seconds between the last flicker of lightning and the low rumble of thunder that was now slowly rolling through the open window. He had picked up the habit of tracking storms now, thanks to Hermione. During one of their shared nights together while watching a particularly violent storm at her parent's cottage, Hermione's love of thunder and lightning had her following its progress the whole night. Smiling from the bed, he watched as she sat on the edge of the window sill counting the number of seconds between each flash and crash out loud. Draco loved seeing the expression on her face change as each new strike of lightning brought a new beautiful crack in the sky closer and closer to her. Exhilaration had filled her eyes that night as the storm drew near, but once it had began to move further and further away, she finally crawled back into bed with him and listened to the low howl of the winds chase away her beloved storm.

 _Twenty seconds… divided by three… that's almost seven miles away… more than another mile since the last time I checked…_

He had been listening to the storm for a little over an hour now as it slowly made its way out towards the open sea. As the waves continued to crash hard against the shore line, the rain had finally changed its tune. It was now mixing together with the wind to create an almost calming melody that rang softly in his ears.

Although his eyes had first opened abruptly almost two hours ago with his heart racing faster with each shaky breath, the feeling of waking up tangled in a bed of warmth and skin grabbed him before he had the chance to fall into panic's constricting grip. For a moment he didn't believe what he was feeling was real, but Hermione's slow, steady breaths hitting softly against his chest told him differently. She was with him, sleeping along side of him and for the first time in a long time Draco woke up not feeling alone or uneasy, but safe.

Although he knew what had woke him up from the first night of decent sleep he'd had in awhile, Draco focused on what was wrapped between his arms and chest and pulled her even closer. The winter air was trying its best to draw the warmth away that had built between the two, but it only succeeded in bringing them closer together. He felt his eyes become heavy and his mind was beckoning him back to sleep; however, he knew that all that waited for him behind his closed lids were nightmares and false promises of peace and tranquility. Instead, Draco decided to pass the time by taking solace in the fact that the women he loved was now lying next to him and listening to the storm outside tire itself out.

 _Twenty two seconds… even further now..._

Feeling Hermione's weight shift, he looked down to see morning's muted gray light reflect off of her concerned stare. Giving her a small squeeze, he asked "I didn't wake you did I?"

Hermione shook her head as she nuzzled herself closer to the warmth of Draco's body. "No, you didn't. Please tell me you haven't been up long and were able to get some sleep."

Grinning at her worry for him, he placed a small kiss on top of her head. Not wanting to upset her, he answered "I haven't been up more than a few minutes before you woke up. Did you sleep alright?"

"I did, surprisingly. That was the first night in awhile where I was able to fall asleep pretty quickly."

Draco raised an eye brow. "Come on Granger, after a shag like that is it really that surprising?"

"Ha-ha" Hermione said with a smile. Stretching out her arms and legs, she asked "Any idea what time it is?"

"Well Theo and Blaise haven't tried breaking down my door, and I haven't heard anyone else's door open so I'm guessing probably around 7'oclock or so… but I haven't been up for long so maybe some are already down stairs."

Hermione did one more stretch to help herself wake up before pushing the blankets off. Reaching for one of Draco's shirts that lay on the ground, she could feel the warmth and comfort of sleep quickly slip away. As she pulled her arm through the first sleeve, she stood from the bed and made her way towards the window.

Watching the witch tip toe across the cold floor, Draco asked "Although I am enjoying the view very much right now, come back to bed."

Reaching the open window, Hermione looked out on to the turbulent sea. The early morning light was being trapped behind the blanketed gray sky, but she could still see the white fringed waves tossing and turning their way through the angry sea. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and held it. She could almost taste the rain soaked earth fill her lungs before exhaling.

Smiling at the thought, she said "As tempting as that sounds, I probably should get up."

Pulling Draco's shirt closer around her body, she turned from the window. "Harry and Ron will be getting up soon and we have a lot still to talk about."

Propping himself up, a small twinge ran up his still aching muscles, but he hid it well. Running his fingers through his hair a few times, he said "You'll have to fill me in on what exactly happened between you guys yesterday. Hopefully I gained a few points with them now."

Draco watched as Hermione smiled and nodded at his statement, but he could tell something was bothering her. "What's the matter Granger? Don't tell me that going out and bringing back a horcrux did nothing to ease my standing with those two.."

"No, no it's not that." Hermione walked back to the edge of the bed and took a seat.

"It's just, some of what I found out yesterday from Harry is still a little hard to process… and I'm not sure you will like some of what I have to tell you."

Furrowing his brow, Draco asked "Do you want to tell me now?"

"I don't want to throw all this at you if you still aren't ready to talk. You've been through a lot and-"

"I promise I'm fine." Giving her a small smile he said, "I could use a distractions from my thoughts anyways. Lay it on me Granger, what's going on."

Hermione nodded as she pulled one of the knitted throw blankets on the bed over her legs. Taking the inside of her left cheek in between her teeth, she began recalling the conversation the Golden Trio had down by the beach the previous day...

"Harry, you're starting to worry me, just spit it out."

Harry watched as Hermione looked at him with pleading eyes. He knew what he was about to say wasn't going to be taken well, but he also knew what he'd done was necessary.

"Well, Ollivander actually tracked me down as soon as I got there. He felt so guilty about what he had told You-Know-Who that he insisted that I listen to what he had told him. He explained that You-Know-Who had been torturing him, relentlessly until Ollivander finally told him the information he had been looking for. Ollivander was the one who told him about the twin cores in both of our wands. He also told You-Know-Who everything he knew about the 'Deathstick' that he has been looking for."

Confused, Ron asked "Deathstick?"

"Sorry, that's what Ollivander was calling it. I mean the Elder wand, just like in the story Luna told us about the Deathly Hallows."

With skepticism in her voice, Hermione asked "Ollivander actually believes that the Elder Wand really exist?"

Harry nodded. "He does. He warned me that You-Know-Who is not only after this wand because he thinks it's the only way to defeat me, but because he feels that once he has it, he will be indestructible."

Ron let out a low whistle. "Bloody hell, if You-Know-Who does get a hold of the Elder Wand, there's no telling what will happen. Did Ollivander have any idea where the wand is now?"

"He told You-Know-Who that there had been a rumor, a long time ago that Gregorovitch was in possession of it, but he wasn't sure how much truth there actually was to this rumor. He also explained to You-Know-Who that the wand must be conquered and fall under his ownership for it to truly obey him and use it to its full potential."

Another low whistle escaped Ron's lips. Hermione had been chewing the inside of her lip the entire time Harry spoke. "What about Griphook, what did he say?"

Harry hesitated before continuing. "You both know why I went to talk to Griphook, to see if I could get any information from him. I know we were hoping that maybe since he has worked at Gringotts for so long, that he may at some point have over heard something, anything that could help us track down where You-Know-Who might have hidden another horcrux."

Ron groaned. "It was a dead end wasn't it."

"Don't be too upset Harry, it was a long shot. We knew going in, that there was a possibility that Griphook wouldn't have anything for us. Even if he did, trusting us enough to tell us was a whole other worry. I can't blame him though, not after how some Wizards have treated goblins over the centuries."

Hermione placed a comforting hand on her friend and said "Don't get too down Harry, like I said, it was a long shot."

When she noticed Harry was slowly starting to shake his head, she became confused.

"Harry, what is it?"

"Well, before I went over to Andromeda's, I ran into Bill. He asked me why I was going over to her house and I told him I just needed to ask Griphook and Ollivander a few questions. I'm not sure if he was just warning me, or if he was skeptical of my answer, but he told me to be careful when talking to Griphook. He said if I was asking Griphook for a favor or for information, then he would want some type of payment in return. Even then, he told me I had to be careful of what I promised him. So before I left, I grabbed my bag with what money we had left in it just in case he did want something in return for anything he may have had."

"Is that what has been bothering you, did you end up giving him the rest of our money? If that's it Harry, we can make it without-"

"No, no that isn't it. After Ollivander had talked to me, I went upstairs to see Griphook. I did most of the talking in the beginning… well, really all of the talking. I tried to explain to him how helping us defeat You-Know-Who could benefit goblins. We are trying to prevent not just the killings of muggles and muggle-borns, but house-elves, goblins and all others as well. Griphook had a few comments of his own about goblins and how 'wand-carriers' have treated them over the years. However, in the end he said he would at least hear what I had to ask him."

Hermione watched as Harry began to pick up handfuls of sand and watch as each grain passed through his fingers. She could tell he was becoming more and more on edge as he spoke, but she kept her questions to herself for the time being and allowed Harry to continue talking without interruption.

"Finally, I asked him if he had ever heard anything that could be useful to us. Any rumors about what You-Know-Who was doing or places that he has been known to go to. Griphook sat there listening to me talk with no sign of emotion. Once I was done, he sat there for what felt like hours before speaking. I couldn't tell at first if he was just trying to think about anything he might know, or if he just didn't care about what I had just asked. When he finally did speak, Griphook told me before he said anything, he wanted to know what was in it for him."

Ron scoffed. "Looks like Bill was right. Why can't 'helping us save the world' be good enough of a reason to tell us what he knows?"

Becoming more anxious now herself, Hermione plainly said "How many Galleons did it take then?"

Shaking his head again, Harry said "None. Griphook didn't want my money. I told him I would give him everything I had, but he refused. I was digging around my bag, trying to find anything that I could offer him in return for what he knew. All I had left in there were clothes and a few books. I was starting to panic, thinking that there wouldn't be any way to convince him to tell me. I even offered him the bag with the charm you had placed on it Hermione, telling him it had an undetectable extension charm on it. When he turned that down too, I was about to give up hope when something strange happened."

Titling her head to the side, Hermione waited for her friend to explain.

Taking a few deep breaths, Harry cleared his throat and said "While I was searching my bag, I suddenly felt something… something that shouldn't have been there because I remember taking it out of my bag and hiding it in my room before I left. I could feel that it was heavy and made of metal. When I started to pull it out I saw the light reflect off of the gold and jewels, but so did Griphook. I quickly tried to hide it, but it was too late. Griphook suddenly had something he wanted from me."

Unable to look his friends in the eye, Harry looked out to the open sea and continued to say "Somehow, the sword of Gryffindor was suddenly in my bag again. I don't know how it happened, but once Griphook saw it was all he wanted."

Hermione's heart sank. She could feel her mouth go dry as she tried to speak. "Harry, no. No, please tell me you didn't..."

"I did say no. I told him there was absolutely no way I could give him the sword, and that it was ours. That's when Griphook became angry, telling me how wrong that statement was. He told me how arrogant wizards have been in thinking that the sword ever belonged to anyone but the goblin that had forged it in the first place. He could tell that I was confused about what he said and just called me arrogant again. When he finished ranting, I still told him there was no way I was giving up the sword. However, he said no sword, no help."

"I bet he didn't even have any information. He probably just wanted to get his greedy little hands on the sword and take it for himself." Ron rolled his eyes as he laid back against a large piece of drift wood.

"Well, that's what I thought too. So when I asked him if he really had anything that may help us, all he said was 'I guess you'll just have to hand over the sword and hear what I have to say to determine if it was worth it'."

Suddenly there was a loud knock on the bedroom door. Hermione quickly stopped telling her story and looked over at Draco who seemed just as annoyed as she did with the interruption.

"What do you want?" His voice was thick with displeasure.

"Your door's locked, like really, really locked… Draco you never lock your door! How am I suppose to brighten up your morning if you're unable to see my beautiful, smiling face when you wake up?"

Rolling his eyes, Draco said "I finally came to my senses and realized maybe seeing your so called 'beautiful, smiling face' every morning was the reason why I also always wake up with a headache."

Through the door, he could hear his friend whimper. "Well that was just uncalled for mate. Didn't your parents ever teach you how to act?"

Muttering to himself, Draco said "That's what got me here in the first place.."

Wanting Theo to leave, he asked "What is it that you want?"

Hearing the door handle jiggle again, Theo said "Still not letting me in I see… fine. Blaise and I were just wondering if you were joining us for breakfast."

Without thinking, Draco said "We will be down in a minute-"

Hermione slapped his arm so hard it echoed around the room. She could see the look of regret in Draco's eyes the moment he let those words slip past his teeth. They were hoping Theo would let it go, but they both knew better.

Laughing from outside the door, Theo said "Oh, so there's a 'we' in there? The whole locking the door thing makes much more sense now. I knew you actually loved seeing my face every morning."

When neither Hermione nor Draco replied to his comment, Theo decided to take the hint. "Alright, alright you two love birds. I will let you get back to whatever you were doing in there. I'm sure I will see you two down stairs in a few minutes anyways. We all know Draco can't last longer than that-"

"I swear to Salazar Nott, if you say one more word I'll-"

"I'm leaving, I swear."

Hearing Theo make a few kissing sounds before finally walking away, Draco sighed and leaned back against the headboard.

"Sorry I let that slip. I'm sure Theo will have a few more comments for us once we make it down stairs."

Hermione gave Draco a small smile. "It's fine. It was only a matter of time until one of them found out we're spending the nights together now."

Reaching over and tucking one of Hermione's loose curls behind her ear, he asked "Do you want to continue with your story?"

Hearing the other doors open and then shut in the hallway, she knew her two friends were now also up. It would probably be only be a matter of time before they too found out about her new sleeping arrangements. Sighing, she said "If you can wait on breakfast a little while longer, I think I should finish my story."

Draco nodded his head and gave her arm a small squeeze. "Sounds good, Granger. Although, I do have to say you guys sound like giving up the sword is a huge deal. I know it's your beloved Godric's sword and all, but if it means gathering information that can help you guys find out where the last horcruxes are, it may be worth it."

Hermione knew Draco didn't know the full abilities the sword possessed. When she first found out herself that Harry and Ron had used it to destroy one of the horcruxes, she hadn't regained all of her memories yet.

Watching a shiver run down Hermione's body, Draco asked "Do you want me to close the windows?"

"I'm alright. Thank you though."

Leaving the window open, he still grabbed another blanket off the bed and placed it around her shoulders.

Smiling at the gesture, she said "Alright, now I think I left off here.."

* * *

Silence had settled over the kitchen. Harry couldn't tell if it was heavier than the tension that had also filled the air or if it was a draw. He was making sideways glances at Ron who was shifting uncomfortably in his seat next to Luna. To his right sat Theo and Blaise who weren't helping the situation any with the topic of conversation they had just started.

"I can't even remember when my last shag was. It has to be at least five or six months ago."

Blaise chuckled as he said "Do you at least remember what her name was this time?"

"Of course I remember what her name was, what kind of guy do you take me for? It was about a week before you and I took off and we met during one of those ridiculous work parties my father always dragged me to. Although the food was horrible, we did made good use of one of the empty conference rooms."

Smiling at his friend, Blaise asked "And this lovely girl's name was?"

Theo was taking an abnormally long time chewing the piece of toast in his mouth. He was about to answer with whatever name came to mind when he was finished when he heard Ron mutter something to Harry.

"I went to check on 'Mione this morning as she wasn't in her room. I thought she would be down stairs then, but clearly she isn't."

A slow grin spread across Theo's face as he listened to Ron complaining about his friend's new choice in where she had spent the night.

Swirling the last sip of tea in his cup, Ron said "We still have a lot to talk about. What is taking her so long to come down stairs?"

Leaning back in his chair, Theo smiled as he said "I tried waking Draco up this morning too, but it seems like someone else had her own idea of how to get him up-"

"Alright, that's enough." Harry stood from the table and took his plate over to the sink.

"We all need to try and get along, and comments like that aren't going to help."

"Lighten up Potter, I think what we all need is a little humor around here. Now that each of our best friends are shacking up together, we should start to become better friends too right? "

Wanting to join in on the conversation, Blaise added "Besides, our best mate risked his life to do something for the three of you. That should allow us a few dirty jokes here and there."

Turning to look at the two Slytherin's, Ron asked "What did Malfoy tell you about that?"

Watching Harry shake his head towards Ron, Theo said "Sadly, he hasn't told us anything. Hurts our feelings actually. The only thing he said he was able to talk about was his mother, but Blaise and I aren't blind. We see you three holding your secret little meetings, talking when you think no one is around or listening."

Harry turned his back towards the table and looked out the kitchen window. The sun had finally fought its way through the thick storm clouds and was starting to shine its light across the sky. Knowing that Draco knew about their mission was one thing, but having even more people know about it was out of the question.

Taking a sip of his coffee, Blaise said "We aren't the only ones who know something is up, isn't that right Lovegood?"

"Leave her out of this. What she knows and doesn't know isn't any of your concern. "

Seeing Ron's face begin turning a light shade of red, Blaise cocked his head to the side. "Getting a little defensive are we? I guess I'm not use to you having your own set of balls there Weasel. I always thought you and Potter shared a set, it must be your turn today-"

"I thought I made it clear that comments like that aren't going to help us get along Zabini."

The room was growing more and more tense as the four boys began arguing. However, it was Luna's calm and even voice that made the whole kitchen go suddenly quiet.

"He's right though, Ron. I do know you three are up to something."

Luna was spreading jam on her toast as evenly as she could while speaking. "I know you tell me it's for my own safety, and that the less people who know the better. However, I don't see how that's possible when it seems that you three are a bit stuck in whatever you're planning. It seems like you could use some help from someone new."

Surprised by her comment, Ron asked "How do you know we are stuck?"

"Well, it's a little obvious isn't it? If you three had a plan you'd either be gone by now or you would at least seem a little happier when you come see me after you have been talking all day with Harry and Hermione."

Throwing his arm up in the air with excitement, Theo said "Ha! I said the exact same thing, didn't I Blaise? I said the three of them would be gone by now if they actually had a plan on whatever they are trying to do."

Ron watched as Luna nodded in agreement to Theo which only made him frustrated. He became even more annoyed when he heard Theo mutter something to Blaise and they both began laughing.

Looking at the two hissing snakes, Ron said "You guys have no idea what the hell you're talking about."

"Oh, we know. That's why we are trying to find out all we can from you two. Speaking on behalf of Blaise and myself, and hell even Lovegood probably, we would all love to know what your little meetings are about. Remember, 'secrets, secrets are no fun unless they are for everyone'."

Turning from the sink, Harry said "This is ridiculous. I don't even know why we are having this conversation. It's none of your business what we are doing and I suggest you stop asking about it."

Leaning over to Blaise, Theo said "I don't know Zabini, Potter may be wearing the set today, or maybe they even split up the pair and are sharing them."

"Oh for Merlin sake!"

Harry refused to listen to the conversation any longer.

"I'm going to see where Hermione is, Ron. I'll be right back."

Walking towards the stairs, he heard Theo yell "I wouldn't go up there! You wouldn't want someone interrupting your morning fun would you Potter?"

Rolling his eyes, he continued up the steps, praying to Godric that he really wasn't about to interrupt something he would later regret.

* * *

Draco's heart was pounding out of his chest. He had left his bed, dressed himself and was now pacing around his room listening to Hermione speak.

"Draco, talk to me. What are you thinking?"

Finally stopping next to the window, he said "I'm thinking I'm going to punch Potter in the fucking face the next time I see him."

"Alright, well I highly suggest not doing that seeing as how you're hands are still healing. Also, there is that whole 'you're dating me' thing and I'm not really a fan of my boyfriend hitting my best friend."

"How could he do that? How could he just give the sword to that goblin? If that's the only thing you guys have found that destroys horcruxes, why would he just give that away?"

"He didn't have a choice Draco-"

Scoffing at her remark, he said cut her off and said "Of course he had a choice. If there's one thing that I've learned it is that you always have a choice. It may not be easy, but it's there."

"Look. Harry wasn't going to give up the sword, but he had a point. The sword showed up on its own accord as if it knew Harry needed something to barter. Something that Griphook would accept as payment for his information."

"Yeah, some information that was. What the hell are we going to do with that?"

Biting the inside of her lip, she reached for her bag to find a pair of pants to put on. Grabbing one out it, she was about to slip them on when she noticed something sticking out of her back pocket. With her heart feeling as if it had suddenly stopped beating, she slowly pulled out the folded piece of blank parchment that had been tucked away.

Draco was trying to control his anger. He knew it wasn't Hermione's fault that the sword was now gone. He was about to speak when he noticed her holding something.

"What are you doing Granger?"

Hermione didn't know what to say. She was holding on to the parchment Narcissa had asked her to give Draco the night she had left to go find her son which she had forgotten about until now. Only able to speak a few words at a time, she whispered "Draco, I'm so sorry... with everything that happened that night... and seeing you come back looking like you did... and my memories coming back...I completely forgot..."

Furrowing his brow, Draco said "What in Salazar's name are you talking about?"

Handing him the parchment, Hermione said "Your mother gave this to me to give to you before she left here that night. I'm so sorry Draco, I feel terrible.."

Staring at the paper being handed to him, Draco wasn't able to reach for it. Frozen where he stood, it wasn't until a soft knock at the door made him quickly take it from her fingers and place it in his back pocket.

"I swear to Merlin Nott, if that's you-"

"No, it isn't. Hermione, I was just wondering if you were going to be joining us for breakfast this morning."

Draco's eyes widened as he heard Harry's voice outside his door. He saw Hermione shake her head, but his anger over looked her plea. Taking his wand out of his back pocket, he unlocked the door and watched as it flew open.

"Well, well. Just the person I wanted to see. Please, come in Potter."

Looking apprehensively towards Hermione, Harry knew what he was about to walk in to. Taking a few steps into the room, he slowly shut the door behind him.

"I'm guessing Hermione told you what happened then."

"You mean how you gave away the one _fucking_ thing that could destroy those horcruxes? Yeah, she just told me. What in Merlin's name were you thinking? I go and bring you a bloody horcrux and learn that you actually had something that could destroy it, but for some reason decided it was a good idea to just give it away? What the hell is wrong with you?"

Harry was keeping the tips of his fingers next to his wand in his pocket. He didn't like the fact that Draco already had his in his hand, but he was hoping since Hermione was here, he'd be on his best behavior.

"Look, how was I supposed to know you were going to be bringing back a horcrux that same night? I figured I would get the information from Griphook and we would have time to figure out how we would either get it back from him or find another way to destroy them. If we have no horcruxes to destroy then what's the point in having the sword? We needed any new information we could get and I think the things Griphook said could actually help us."

Hermione could almost feel the tension building between the two. She knew Draco had a right to be upset, but she also knew that the information gathered by Harry could lead them one step closer in ending the war.

 _Hopefully Draco will be able to see that soon too…_

Tapping his wand against his leg, Draco said "Do you even realize what I went through to get that cup, what we went through? My mother was the one who told me where it was, did you know that? She was the one who made it possible for me to escape with my life while she.."

Draco trailed off before finishing his sentence. He was sure that his heart was going to burst due to the sheer force of hitting itself against his chest. Thoughts of that night were trying to fill his mind again, but he wouldn't let them. Feeling the annoying sting of pain and suffering building at the corners of his eyes, he blinked a few times and concentrated on steadying his breathing.

Harry had only seen Malfoy like this one other time in his life. Although he wasn't actually crying this time, he could tell he was close. The way he looked broken and defeated made Harry think back to the night he had found Malfoy in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. It was strange for Harry to see him so vulnerable when he was so used to seeing Malfoy display so little emotion.

"Malfoy, I can't begin to thank you enough for what you did, what you sacrificed by going back to your house. If I would have known you were coming back with the cup, I wouldn't have given the sword away just yet. What you and your mother did, for not just us but for this war, I don't think I'll ever be able to repay you."

Draco was still tapping his wand against his leg as he listened to Harry speak. Glancing over to look at Hermione, he watched as she gave him a small, reassuring smile.

Clearing his throat, he looked back towards Harry and asked "Do you actually believe what the goblin told you is true then?"

Nodding his head, Harry said "I have no reason not to, and it's the only thing we have to go on right now."

Pushing back his blonde hair, Draco said "Granger filled me in on what you said Griphook had told you, but go over it again with me. The first time I heard it I may have been thinking more about sending a few stinging jinxes your way while punching you in the face."

A small chuckle escaped Harry's mouth as he said "I think Griphook helped us more than he realized. First I found out that soon after Dumbledore had passed, Gringotts began to change. The Ministry has now interfered with how the bank is run and has pushed goblins out of control. Griphook said he had stayed till the beginning of summer, but left soon after and went on the run. However, before he left, he overheard some interesting rumors, the same rumors he heard during and after the first war."

Draco joined Hermione and sat on the edge of the bed, listening to Harry explain his night with Griphook.

"Apparently, there has been talk that You-Know-Who is trying to recruit as many dark creatures as he can. Werewolves, giants, even vampires. Griphook said even though there are some vampires who refuse to go back to the old ways of using human blood for food, there are some who still wish to feed this way. It's being said that You-Know-Who is offering muggles as food in exchange for their services and once he has total control, they will be free to feed as they please."

"Although I admit that isn't a good thing, how does any of that help us?"

"It's what Griphook said about a certain area that has us thinking. Years and years ago, during the first war when You-Know-Who was at his worst, he had promised vampires and werewolves a better life under his rule which led some to aid him in his cause. There were numerous attacks and killings all across England, and even some in other countries. Muggles were said to be found with their blood completely drained or their faces being torn off and left for dead. After You-Know-Who was thought to be defeated though, the killings stopped. However, Griphook said there were whispers amongst different creatures that lived in the forests both near and far of a dark shadow that was traveling across Europe that seemed to be in search of something. Eventually, this dark shadow was said to have traveled to a place called Valbone Valley."

Draco furrowed his brow as he looked towards Hermione. "That place sounds familiar, where have I heard that before?"

Grabbing her beaded bag, Hermione said "Griphook told Harry it's an area on the northern edge of Albania. I need to start looking for any information about it, but it's going to take some time."

As Hermione began pulling out book after book from her bag, Harry continued to say "Griphook had said he had heard of rumors of animals being found murdered all around this area. This dark energy had fallen over the land for a long time when suddenly it had vanished for almost a year, before reappearing again. Darkness had consumed the land and magical creatures all over knew to stay away from the valley. Griphook said that he knew of one goblin who didn't believe in all of the talk, that everyone was full of themselves and decided that when visiting relatives in Montenegro, he was going to take a look at this 'dark forest' for himself. When he made it to the edge of the trees though, he told Griphook that something strange began to happen. As he walked deeper into the woods, it was almost as if he heard a small voice in the back of his mind, telling him to keep moving forward. The feeling of being lured into a trap began to creep in and, lucky for him, he was able to stop and turn around before the need to go any further was too strong."

Looking at Harry, Draco said "He thought it was a trap? Why would something try and lure him into the woods?"

Taking a seat in one of the chairs in the corner, Harry said "I'm not sure. If it's like the animals, maybe it was trying to kill him, but I'm not sure what it would gain from that. Fast forward another year though from this goblin's experience and we find ourselves around the time when You-Know-Who returned and the Ministry finally believed that he was back."

Looking up from one of the books she was skimming, Hermione said "As for this 'dark shadow' Griphook was talking about, he claims it hasn't been seen for almost two years now. However, he did say that since You-Know-Who has taken over the Ministry, it seems that the strange killings are becoming more and more frequent. Places like Romania, Germany and apparently, villages around this valley have been the worst."

"Do you think the Dark Lord has offered muggles as food for services again then? Maybe this 'dark shadow' is even helping him?"

Draco looked from Hermione to Harry and then back again. When he didn't receive a response from either of them, he asked "What is it?"

It was Harry who spoke first. "I think, this 'shadow' was actually You-Know-Who himself."

"What are you talking about?"

"Think about it. The timeline when it was and wasn't around this valley lines up when You-Know-Who was either thought to be dead or missing, or when he was trying to take over."

"Why in Merlin's name would he go to some random fucking woods in the middle of fucking nowhere Potter?"

Closing another book, Hermione said "Well, we were actually hoping that you may be able to help answer that question."

Confused, Draco asked "Me? Why would I be able to help?"

"We were hoping that you may have heard something, anything that could tell us why he would choose to travel to these woods. Maybe your father or aunt has said something about-"

Harry stopped when he saw Malfoy shake his head.

"When I was growing up, my father always spoke highly of the Dark Lord. Telling me how sad it was that he didn't survive and how ridiculous it was that some 'snot nose, little brat of a boy' – his words not mine Potter – could have defeated the greatest wizard of our time. He and his fellow Death Eaters would still gather at least monthly to discuss how disgusting the Wizarding world had become with all the muggle-borns out there, as well as the fact that muggles were gaining more rights and protection. I did over hear a few times them discussing the possibility that the Dark Lord was still out there somewhere and had managed to survive, but I never heard any of them talk about certain places he could be. A few times I'm pretty sure my father actually did go looking for him if he heard of any rumors thought to be true, but clearly nothing ever came of it."

Draco watched as the two Gryffindor's became solemn at the same time. The sun had finally managed to break through the clouds now and was pouring through the open window. Although Draco watched as its rays became closer and closer and fell onto his skin, there was no warmth to them. They were entering December now, and winter's bitter chill had taken a hold of what little heat had been left. The room still smelled of rain and sea, and even though a silence had now fallen over the room, it seemed as if he couldn't hear the thoughts running around his own head.

Needing to distract himself from his own mind, he asked "Was that all Griphook told you then?"

"Yes, in the sense that was all he said about knowing anything possibly related to You-Know-Who. However, he did say something interesting after I gave him the sword."

Standing from the chair, Harry walked over to the window and took a deep breath of salty sea air before saying "After I handed him the sword, he said 'at least one item will receive the appreciation it deserves now'. When I asked him what he meant by that, he scoffed at me, saying it didn't surprise him that I was once again confused. He told me how the sword, along with the other three founder's items, are always praised for who they belong to and how beautiful they are. However, credit is never given to who gave them the beautiful silver, gold and jewels to make them in the first place. The sword he already explained to me, but Griphook commented on the fact that Salazar's locket, Rowena's diadem and Helga's cup couldn't have been made without the help of goblins and the precious metals and jewels they possessed."

Standing to join Harry by the window, Hermione added "What we are thinking, is that we know You-Know-Who had managed to find the cup and the locket, and the sword is clearly not a horcrux, but what if he did manage to find Rowena's diadem. He already had half of the items, I'm sure he would have wanted the complete set if he was able to."

Fussing with his hair a few times, Draco said "So you're thinking that he turned Rowena's item into a horcrux? Great, let's go get that next then."

"There is our next problem. We have no idea where it is. I tried looking up anything I could yesterday about it, but the only thing I could find was that it was lost around the time she passed away. I still have a few more books to look through, but it isn't looking promising."

Cursing under his breath, Draco shook his head. "Of course it is. Well, maybe the Dark Lord didn't turn it in to a horcrux then."

"It's possible, but we can't rule it out just yet. We have to keep it as a possibility still, until we can safely say he really never did locate it."

Thinking to himself for a moment, Draco said "You do both realize there is a bright-eyed and eager blond haired Ravenclaw sitting right down stairs. Have you considered asking her if she has ever heard of where-"

"No. We can't keep getting more and more people caught up in this hunt of ours. The less people who know the better off we will be."

Looking at Harry, Draco furrowed his brow and said "Well that's just bullshit."

"Draco, don't-"

"I'm sorry Granger, but there's possibly a perfectly good resource just sitting in front of us and you're saying you don't want to try and use it? She has made it very clear to everyone in this house that she wants to help, but you won't seem to let her."

Hermione could tell Harry was becoming upset as Draco continued to talk about his decision to not yet include Luna.

Wanting to return what peace had been found between the two, she quickly said "I think what Harry, Ron and I were thinking was trying to first look for ourselves and see if we could find anything on where the diadem could be. If nothing came of it, maybe we could consider asking Luna if she has ever heard anything."

Harry was about to say something when he heard footsteps running up the stairs. In a matter of moments, a loud knocking came from the other side of the door.

"Hermione, is Harry in there with you?"

Answering before Hermione could, Harry said "I'm in here Ron, come in-"

Before he could finish his sentence, Ron flew open the door. "What were you thinking leaving me downstairs alone with those two for so long? I swear, if I have to hear one more comment about who really lost their blood virginity first, I'm going to lose it."

"Oh, come, come now Weasel. Just because you still haven't lost yours, doesn't mean you have to get all embarrassed and take off. I'm sure it will happen for you soon."

Theo suddenly appeared behind Ron and was grinning ear to ear. Pushing past Ron and allowing himself into the room, he said "What do we have here? Oh, please tell me Blaise was right about that whole three way thing. I always thought you had a little crush on Potter-"

"If you finish that sentence Nott, I swear to Salazar I will come over there and make sure you will never be able to use that damn voice of yours you seem to love hearing so much."

Waving off his friends comment, Theo said "Yeah, yeah. I guess I'm just hurt I wasn't invited to this little party up here. What are we all talking about?"

Walking over to his friend, Draco said "I think I've already seen enough of your smiling face for now. I'm going to take a shower."

As he walked towards the door, Draco couldn't help himself as he turned around to face Hermione and said "You're more than welcome to join me Granger if you'd like."

Watching as all three Gryffindor's cheeks flush red, he quickly ducked out of the way as Hermione hurled the book she had been reading towards him as she yelled "For Merlin's sake Draco, have some manners!"

Smiling to himself, he made it out of his room and headed towards the bathroom as the sounds of Theo's laughter filled the air. It wasn't until he had made it inside and shut the door did his smile fade as he reach into his back pocket and pulled out the note his mother had left for him. His hands were trembling as he unfolded it crease by crease until he was looking at a piece of blank parchment.

It wasn't until after five minutes had passed and he had been unable to speak the enchantment to make his mother's words appear on the paper that he knew it wasn't going to happen. However, as he folded it back up and placed it inside of his pants, Draco knew he would have to say those words sooner or later.

 _But for now, it's later..._

* * *

It had been almost three days since Draco had been told about the sword. He had spent most of his afternoons and nights held up in Hermione's room along with Harry and Ron. Theo and Blaise weren't too happy to be left out of the group, but Draco had made it clear to them that this was bigger than their need to be a part of whatever was going on. He was trying to be helpful when the Golden Trio would talk about what their plans may be now that they had found out new information, but for the most part, his mind would slowly start to fill with thoughts about the night at the Manor. Still needing to distract himself, he began looking for why 'Valbone Valley' sounded so familiar to him in the books Hermione's had copied from Snape's library. Hermione had been reading and rereading every book she had found that talked about the founders or anything about lost artifacts. However, her efforts were getting her nowhere and she was becoming more and more frustrated.

During the second day, Tonks had come to visit. She informed them that when she went to check on her mother that morning, they realized Griphook and taken off sometime during the night.

Seeing looks of anger being shared amongst everyone, she asked Harry "I hear you had visited him just the other night. Does him leaving have anything to do with that?"

When Harry shrugged off her question, Tonks eyed him with a look only she could pull off as if trying to read his mind. However, when she wasn't able to get anything more from Harry, she asked if she could speak to Draco in private.

Once in his bedroom, Draco asked "How is Aunt Andromeda holding up?"

Tonks was slowly rubbing her ever growing belly as she took a seat in one of the chairs.

"She is still in a good bit of shock I'd say. My mum keeps asking me what happened and she just becomes more and more confused when all I can tell her is that she went back to the Manor to follow you. She doesn't understand why you'd even go back there yourself."

Clenching his jaw, he asked "Does she… does she blame me for what happened?"

"Merlin no, she doesn't blame you. She just wants answers, that's all. I think knowing more about what happened would help her cope a little better, but I know that it'd be selfish of me to make you explain yourself right now."

Draco sat in the chair next to Tonks in silence. He still hadn't talked to anyone yet about everything that happened that night, he still didn't feel ready. For him, talking about what really happened would make it real and that wasn't something he was ready for still.

"You still don't blame yourself, do you?"

When she didn't get a response from Draco, Tonks sighed as she said "You can't do this to yourself. If you let guilt feed off of you, it will eventually consume you until there's nothing left. Your mother went there on her own, to protect the person she loved most in this life-"

"But she only went there because I did. If I hadn't of went back there, or been more careful maybe on when I left or how I did it, maybe things could have ended differently."

Still rubbing her belly, Tonks took a moment to think before speaking again.

"I can't imagine everything you have been through Draco. You found the courage to stand up for what you knew was right, even though you knew it would put your life at risk. You watched the person you love most not remember anything you once had with them, and then you had to watch everything that happened that night with your mother. I know it may not seem like it right now, but sometimes from all the pain and all the heartache that life gives us, we somehow find our greatest strength from it. Strength we never knew we had."

As Draco sat there, listening to his cousin speak, he was finding it difficult to breathe. The weight of his guilt had been sitting on his chest ever since that night and was refusing to leave. Hearing Tonks tell him that somehow he would find the strength to overcome everything seemed next to impossible.

"Have you talked to Hermione yet, about what happened?"

Draco hesitated for a moment before shaking his head 'No'.

"I know it won't be easy, but you may want to consider talking to her about it. It doesn't even need to be the whole story, but even starting to release some of what you're keeping locked away may help ease some of the pain Draco."

Looking over at his cousin, he gave her a slight nod before saying "You know, you're going to be an amazing mother."

On the third night, after the boys had left for the night back to their own room, Hermione was sitting in between Draco's legs as she lay against him. She had closed her eyes and was now enjoying the feeling of each rise and fall of his chest as he took a breath.

Running his fingers through Hermione's curls, he quietly said "Don't try and fight it Granger, you need to sleep. These books will be here for you when you wake up."

Keeping her eyes closed, she felt his warm breath against her skin as he leaned in to whisper. She smiled and said "I'll fall asleep as soon as you fall asleep. You still promise you've been getting a decent amount every night, right?"

Draco continued to slowly let slip each curl between his fingers as he listened to her question. He had told her he had been managing to fall asleep the past few nights, but the truth was he hadn't been able to find more than an hour or so each time. His mind wouldn't shut off, and when it did he would soon be awoken by nightmares more vivid and more violent than real life.

Not wanting her to worry, he smiled and said "I promise I'm falling asleep Granger. Now, close your eyes. I'll get the lights."

Reaching over to the side table and grabbing his wand, he gently flicked it and the lights in the room slowly dimmed until the only light still left in the room was coming from the low burning flame Hermione had placed in a jar next to the bed. The heat it was emitting made the cold winter night less harsh against their chilled skin.

Feeling herself begin to drift off, Hermione slowly fluttered her eyes open as she looked up at Draco and said "I really am sorry again about not giving your mother's letter to you sooner, I-"

"You need to stop apologizing for that. I told you I understand, a lot happened during that time and I promise you that I'm not upset."

Feeling Draco give her forehead a soft kiss, she hesitated before saying "I know you know this too, but I'm here for you Draco. Whenever you're ready to talk, I'm ready to as well, or even just listen if that's easier."

Placing his hand under her chin, he leaned down and placed another soft, yet lingering kiss on her lips.

"I promise I do know, and I also promise I'm almost ready too. I'm still just not there yet."

Giving his arm a small squeeze, she nuzzled herself further into his lap and rested her head against him. Wrapping her arms around his, she felt her body mould into him.

Draco listened as Hermione's breathing became deeper with each tick of the clock's hands. He felt the weight of her sink into him and he embraced it, knowing that it meant she was still really with him. He still hadn't been able to bring himself to read his mother's letter yet, but not knowing what she had written was starting to drive him crazy.

Feeling their breathing slowly become in unison, Draco wasn't able to fight exhaustion any longer and reluctantly closed his eyes, hoping that tonight would be the night that his dreams would stay as such.

The next day, Hermione had decided that the piles of books stacked in her room were becoming a safety hazard and decided to start filing them back into her bag. She hadn't been through all of them yet, but any hope of finding any information of Rowena's diadem was as lost as it was. Admitting defeat, she started placing them back in her bag.

While Harry and Ron we discussing the possibility of now involving Luna, Draco began helping Hermione start the process of cleaning up the mess their books and notes had made.

Whispering to Hermione, he said "I told you days ago we should have just asked her. It seems more likely that she would have heard something about her own house than sitting here sifting through books."

Biting the inside of her cheek, Hermione said "I know, but we were doing it for her safety. Harry just wants to try and keep as many people as safe as possible and to do that, he feels that means keeping our mission on a need to know basis."

"Yeah, well we are running out of options here."

Hermione watched as Draco yawned through his next few sentences.

"It's like Potter was saying the other day; if the Dark Lord doesn't know about the cup yet, he will soon. Once he does, he will know what we have been up to which will only cause more problems. I'm not sure if my aunt knew exactly what he had given her, but I'm sure she is scared shitless to tell him that she has now lost it."

Nodding her head in agreement, she was about to put away a tattered and faded book when she heard Draco ask "Can I see that for a minute Granger?"

Handing over the book titled _Treaties on the Apparitions of Spirits and on Vampires or Revenants Vol. 2_ , she watched as Draco took it and slowly began flipping through its warn pages.

When reaching a certain page, Draco suddenly stopped and looked up at Hermione.

"This is it; this is where I've heard about Valbone Valley."

Handing the book back to her, she quickly began reading it herself.

"These chapters talks about where some of the first settlements of vampires had been found. It talks about The Black Forest, Transylvania, as well as Valbone Valley. I knew I had read about this place somewhere before. There are accounts of actual findings or sightings of vampires all throughout history."

Reading a passage from one man's encounter, Hermione drank up every word it said.

 _Just beyond the pass of Valbone Valley, I found the start of one of the most crystal clear lakes I had ever seen. Blue as the sky and as clear as glass, this lake alone would draw anyone to its beauty. The calm, almost serene nature of this area is what captivated me most. However, following the river that broke free from the lake, the feeling of tranquility started to leave as the river began to rage ahead of me. The forest grew thicker and I could have sworn I heard soft whispers amongst the trees. Once night began to fall, I realized that I suddenly found myself lost within the shadows of the trees and I knew I had a long night ahead of me. When darkness had completely swallowed the land, the only light that allowed me to see was from the moon's glowing rays. The trees were whispering even louder now as I hid myself as well as I could from anything that may be lurking in the woods. It was when the moon had peaked in the sky that I saw it. The shadows began to move on their own, swaying not with the wind, but to their own rhythm. It seemed that the peaceful atmosphere I had grown to love was now nothing more than a dream and I had found myself trapped inside a nightmare I couldn't awake from._

Skimming through a few more passage, Hermione read about how he saw what seemed like hundreds of shadows move slowly through the darkness, as if stalking prey. Once the sun finally was about to rise was when he saw these shadows start to disappear and when the sun had fully risen, he was met with multiple bodies of dead animals.

 _Their bodies were pale as the moon that had shown that night, and the life from their eyes had long since left. All that remained was a corpse, drained of everything that once allowed it to breathe and thrive._

Looking up from the book, she slowly closed it and gave it back to Draco.

Taking it from her, he said "There are tons of sightings like this one in this book, all talking about vampires at this location or others. In the later chapters, it goes on to talk about some pretty dark things relating to blood magic which some believe vampires practice. I guess they think that vampire's immortality comes from this blood magic and- Granger, what is it?"

Hermione's eyes were suddenly twice their normal size. Reaching back for the book and turning to look at Harry and Ron who were still arguing over whether or not to involve Luna, she said "Guys, I think we may have found more information that could help.."

* * *

Draco sat on the edge of his bed, his head resting on the palms of his hands as he looked out through his open window. Even though winter's unforgiving grasp had taken hold now, he was becoming thankful for its cold bite. It was making it easier for him to stay awake at the moment as the weight of his eyelids were becoming almost too much to resist.

He had left Hermione's room almost an hour ago now, telling her he needed a break from their planning and was going to see Theo and Blaise for a little while. However, when he reached his room and sat down on the bed, he found it almost impossible to move. He wasn't sure if it was just the fact that his body was starting to fail him due to fatigue, or if it was because his guilt was becoming too much to bear. Whatever the cause was though, his body was refusing to let him leave.

His cousin's words began playing in his mind, along with his own thoughts telling him she was giving him too much credit.

 _First you couldn't save Granger from your aunt and then your mother… what fucking good are you?_

Although he had replayed every second over in his mind a hundred times, it was starting again.

 _Maybe I should have just told her what I was going to do, so I could have made sure she stayed behind._

A small voice in the back of his mind was telling him that if he had done that though, then he would have died instead.

Frustrated at this thought, he punched his mattress as he muttered "Good, maybe that would have been better. At least she would still be alive."

He couldn't wait any longer. Taking out the note he had been carrying around with him for days now, he unfolded it as quickly as he could and muttered _"Post tenebras lux."_

Watching as his mother's elegant, cursive handwriting begin to slowly fill the empty space, he eyes began reading as quickly as they could...

* * *

Hermione closed her bedroom door behind her as she made her way down the hall towards the bathroom. She had almost made it when a voice behind her made her stop.

"Hey, Granger. Any chance you three are going to let Draco out of there soon? We need to talk to him about something."

Turning to better face Theo, she asked "You mean Draco hasn't seen you two yet?"

"Feels like we haven't seen him in days. I know you guys have your super, top secret mission going on in there, but when you see him, just tell him to come find me when he can."

Smiling and nodding at him, she waited until Theo had made it back to his room before changing course and began knocking on Draco's door.

* * *

He could feel it, everything that had been building since that day breaking towards the surface. Every bone that had broken, every bruise he had received from his father suddenly felt fresh under his skin. Remembering his father's cold, unrelenting stare and realizing that he had no qualms about turning his son over to certain death made him feel like he was going to be sick. With his mother's letter still clutched in one hand, he suddenly felt his cheeks burn with the trail of hot tears that were now streaming down his face. He knew his walls that had held him up for this long had finally collapsed and there was so stopping it.

His breathing was heavy and his mind was a blur. Not noticing the knock at his door, he also didn't hear it slowly open and shut behind him. When he heard Hermione's soft voice whisper his name behind him though, he didn't jump. He kept his eyes straight ahead as the tears continued to spill out and over his unblinking stare.

Hermione came and sat next to Draco on the bed. She watched as his lashes became heavy with tears and noticed that his hands were both clutched. One was holding a letter and the other was shaking in an almost desperate attempt to battle the guilt and grief that was raging war inside of him.

Placing a steady hand on his, she softly whispered his name once again.

Still unable to turn and look at her, Draco took a deep breath before saying "I think I'm ready to talk now."

* * *

Note: I'm so sorry this has taken me so long to post, but there was a lot (a whole heck of a lot) of research that needed to be done for this chapter and the ones coming up. I think I wrote and rewrote some of these passages a hundred times before I was finally happy with them

I have always wanted to know more about werewolves and vampires in the Wizarding world as well as what Voldemort did while in Albania (besides finding the diadem of course). Get ready to come on a journey with me to find out!

Fun fact: The book I talked about, _Treaties on the Apparitions of Spirits and on Vampires or Revenants Vol. 2_ , is a real book that talks about magic, sorcery and vampires. It talks about documented cases and claims about all these topics as well as some cultural ledges.

Thank you so very much for all the amazing, wonderful reviews and all the new favs/follows. It means the world to me and helps to keep me going when school and life try to make everything more difficult

I am on break for a little while longer here so my next chapter shouldn't take as long to post. I hope everyone is enjoying their holiday so far and if I don't post it before it hits 2017, happy New Year to you all!

 _-Toujours._


	29. Chapter 29: Redemption

**Wounded**

Chapter 29: Redemption

The pain came in waves. Tears fell down Draco's face, one after another, with no sign of letting up. He had managed to restrain himself at first, attempting to hide his grief and heartache, but it didn't take long for the suffering to break him down entirely. In the brief moments where he was able to catch his breath and recover, Draco began the difficult task of retelling every detail from the night he had went back to the Manor. From the moment he left the cottage, to each individual step that led him to his father's relentless torture.

The moon was high now, giving off the only light in the room. Hermione watched as its rays reflected off of Draco's silver eyes, which had now become red and swollen. She listened to him recall every memory from that night. Every sentence was laced with anger and remorse, and as he talked through the agony, she could feel each word ripping apart every muscle fiber and nerve cell in his body. With the amount of detail he was recalling, she could tell he had relived those moments over and over again until they were engrained in his memory.

Draco's breathing was far from regular, but the more he talked, the steadier his hands had become. Still feeling the warmth from Hermione's grip on his arm, he continued to cling to it like a lifeline.

"You should have seen her Granger." Giving Hermione a quick sideways glance, Draco said "I had always known she was a skilled dueler, but I'd never seen her like that before. The way she talked to my father, the way she held her ground… she was fearless."

Hermione hadn't spoken for what felt like hours now, but she had made sure he knew she was with him and listening to every word he was saying. Although his physical pain had been able to begin the healing process, his emotional pain was just beginning to. Hearing what had happened that night was hard enough to sit through; she couldn't even imagine what it actually felt like to live it. Pieces of a very complex puzzle began to all come together, and each bruise or broken rib, now had a story to go along with it. Wanting to let him say everything that he had been keeping locked inside, Hermione gave his arm a small squeeze while continuing to listen as the last few pieces fell into place.

"Once Aunt Bella ran into her vault, I knew I had to make a break for it. I don't remember my brain telling my feet to run, but I do remember the feeling of what the stone beneath my fingers felt like as I stumbled out of there, the sound of footsteps not too far behind me as I took each corner back into the gardens, and the feeling of the night air as it hit my face telling me I had actually made it back outside."

Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath. "I can still smell the decay from the flowers, and how they sounded under my feet as I ran over them."

As he opened his eyes back up, fresh tears spilled down his cheeks. He gazed out of the bedroom window to watch as the ocean's waves bounced the moon's soft rays off of them, before swallowing them whole. Stars littered the night sky, shinning their light on anything they could reach. Draco listened as the soft breeze continued to lightly tap at the window, rattling the glass panes in an almost rhythmic pattern. Each second that passed by seemed to last longer in his head, but he knew that time waited for no one. While chaos raged inside of him, it seemed that the world outside his window had somehow found a sense of peace. It was almost unreal to him that such tranquility could still exist.

Feeling Hermione give him another firm squeeze, he realized that he was still clutching his mother's letter. Slowly releasing his hold on it, Draco handed it to her.

"You should read this too."

Although the letter had been in her line of sight the whole night, out of respect for Draco, she had refrained from reading it. Looking into his weary eyes, she took the crumpled parchment from his hand and began to read.

 _Draco,_

 _I need you to know that I'm following you, fully aware of what my fate could be tonight. Promise me that you will not blame yourself for whatever may happen and know that in the end, whether it is tonight or any other night, I would have always taken my last breath if it meant saving you._

 _I'm so grateful to have you as my son. Not only because I am proud of the man you have become, but because when I thought there was no hope, no love left in this world, I was always reminded that I still had you. I know that I have made some mistakes as a mother along the way, but I hope you can forgive me for those. There is no excuse for my inability to be strong for you, when you needed it, but the strength I couldn't find in myself then has come alive in you now. You have shown me what real courage looks like and what it means to stand up for what is right. Always know that I will protect you. I will be by your side, watching over you, and know that nothing in this world could ever separate us. Not distance, not time, not even death._

 _Never forget that this is your life to live, Draco. Not mine, not your father's, no one's but your own. All I have ever wanted for you is to live a life that you love. I'm so glad I was able to watch my son fall in love with a woman who embodies strength and determination, a woman who has always stood up for what she believes in, and has shown courage no matter the situation. From everything I have seen from you, I can tell your love for her runs deep. No matter how long it takes for her to remember you, never give up on someone, or something, you care about._

 _Please tell Andromeda how much I love her, and that I am so thankful for everything she has done for not only me, but for us. Her love and guidance means more to me than words could ever describe._

 _When this war is over, and you all have succeeded in defeating the Dark Lord; if you're able, go back to the place where words could hardly describe what peace we found there and look between the sun and the stars. I hope that what you'll find there will one day become useful. Just know that not all of my treasured belongings made it into your father's hands._

 _I love you Draco, so very much. You are my greatest joy in life, and the one thing that has never let me down. Remember, if you stay true to who you are and to what you know is right, you'll never have to feel regret again. It may not always be easy, but I promise you it will be worth it._

 _-Ex Animo_

Hermione read the letter a second and then third time before looking back up at Draco. Before she could respond though, she heard him mutter "What am I suppose to do now Granger? How do I even begin to let myself feel like it wasn't my fault for what happened when we both know that it was."

Keeping her eyes locked with his, Hermione took a deep breath. "When I first found my parents Draco, I felt the same way. I was convinced that what had happened to them was entirely my fault, and that no matter what anyone said, they wouldn't be able to convince me otherwise."

Draco could almost feel himself holding his breath as he listened to every word that fell from her lips. He began to think back to those nights when he would stay up for hours with her, trying to explain to her that what had happened was in no way her fault. Draco had calmed her down countless times and had held her when she would wake screaming in panic. Her amber eyes were almost glowing in the moonlight. As they became glossy, he knew she was trying to fight back that annoying sting of pain.

"Your mother knew what she was doing Draco. She knew that giving her life was a possibility that night, and she was going to do it in order to save her son. I know you want to convince yourself, that if you had done something different that night, your mother would still be alive. If you allow yourself to do that though, I promise that it will consume every thought you have, until it's all you thinking and even dream about. That's what happened to me at least."

Hermione lifted her hand and slowly began to push back Draco's silver hair before resting it on his cheek. With her thumb making small circles across his cold skin, she said "I could sit here for hours telling you that what happened isn't your fault, and if that's what it takes for you to believe me, then I promise that's what I'll do. However, I know that there is only so much a person can say to help heal you until words don't help anymore. There's going to come a time though when each bruise, broken bone, and cut will have long since healed and you'll finally be able release yourself of all this guilt. It won't be easy to let yourself start to recover, even though all you'll want is to finally let yourself be free of all the pain and heartache, but know that you aren't alone. I'll always be here for you, and so are your friends, who I know care about you too."

Draco slightly leaned into Hermione's touch. Although it was painful to relive and talk about those moments that had led to his mother's death again, Tonks had been right. Being able to talk to Hermione about everything that had happened and everything that he had kept inside of him was starting to relieve some of the weight that had been sitting so heavily on his chest.

"There are times where all I can think about is revenge, Granger. Thinking about finding my father and my aunt, and making them suffer, is what drives me lately. Sometimes, I don't know how to shake that feeling without giving in."

"I felt the same way for awhile. When I finally did see Fenrir in Diagon Alley though, I suddenly realized something. It's one thing to think about revenge and want it so badly that you're sure you'll do it once you have the chance, but once that chance presents itself, it's a whole other thing to give in and become the same monster that they are. Breaking someone else won't fix how you feel, or bring back your mother. I know it's temping right now, and I'm not saying that they should get away with what they did, but maybe the best type of revenge is making sure that they don't win. Keep fighting for what you believe is right, and let your mother's death motivate you to make sure that the cause she died for does comes true."

Letting Hermione's words toss and turn a few times in his head, Draco sighed and laid himself back down in bed. Looking up at the ceiling, he felt her lay down next to him.

Placing her arm over his chest, Hermione asked "In your mother's letter, she talked about going to look for something after the war. Do you know where she is talking about?"

Closing his eyes, Draco was suddenly surrounded by six foot high hedges that enclosed him on every side. The smell of jasmine and fresh fruits filled his nose as the warm winds blew across his face. Soft splashing could be heard behind him and he knew it was only the small finches bathing themselves in the fountain. As he watched the beautiful flowers catch the summer breeze and sway back and forth, Draco inhaled slowly and allowed the peace and tranquility to wash over him even if it only for a moment.

Opening his eyes back up, he said "I do. At least, I know where she is talking about. The 'what' I'm not sure of though. Right in the middle of the gardens, there's a spot where it seemed like nothing could touch us there. It was quiet and there would be days where we would both sit out there for hours. Reading, talking, we'd even eat breakfast or dinner there sometimes when my father was away. When I was a child, I had once said that these two certain flowers reminded me of the sun and the stars. Ever since then my mother has always just referred to them as such."

Hermione smiled. "Do you have any guesses as to what she hid out there?"

Shaking his head, Draco said "No clue. I know her family has passed down a lot of heirlooms and such to each generation, but most of them are locked away somewhere. Over the years though, a lot of what used to be my mother's, aunt Bella has also claimed as her own. My mother is the youngest and aunt Bella always complained how spoiled she was compared to her, so she figured she'd just take back what she thought should have been hers."

As she listened to the chiming of the clock in the hallway, Hermione said "I've been trying to find the right time to tell you this, but before your mother left the cottage that night, she said something to me that I didn't understand at the time. Now though, I wish I could have thanked her."

Looking down at her, Draco began running his fingers through her soft curls as he asked "What did she say?"

"She told me that if she had ever had a daughter, she would have hoped that she'd been like me. Your mother told me that I was strong and intelligent, and that she was happy I was able to help you when I could."

Giving him a small squeeze around his waist, she continued to say "She also told me that she thinks we are good together."

A small smile suddenly spread across Draco's face. Bringing Hermione closer to him, he placed a soft kiss on top of her head and whispered "I love you."

The two laid next to each other for the rest of the night in comfortable silence. Draco felt Hermione drift off to sleep, not long after she had whispered back to him the same three words he had spoken. As she lay in his arms and he too began to drift off, he wished to himself that time could stop moving forward. No thinking, no feeling, just existing in that moment with her and allowing its warmth to shield them from everything that was wrong with the world. Bringing his head down to rest on hers, he pulled one of the blankets over them, and focused on the sound of the winds that were seeping through the cracks as they sang him to sleep.

* * *

The sun barely had a chance to light the room when Draco began to stir. He hadn't opened his eyes yet, but he knew something had awoken him from his sleep. It only took him a few more seconds to realize what that something, or someone, was.

Taking a steadying breath, he whispered "If I open my eyes and see you sitting on the bloody window sill watching me sleep Nott, I swear to Salazar I'm going to kill you."

Hearing his friend snicker under his breath, Draco opened one eye to find his friend softly closing the bedroom door behind him while giving him an exaggerated smile and wave. Cursing under his breath, Draco said "What the _hell_ are you doing in here?"

Whispering back to his friend, Theo said "Well, first of all I just want to point out that I'm not sitting by the window, so just remember that you're not allowed to kill me. Secondly, you should be so lucky to wake up to me watching you sleep. I've been told by many, that waking up to me is the best part of their day. Thirdly, I found your door to be unlocked this morning, which was a clear sign to me that you were in desperate need of a wakeup call from yours truly."

Watching as Draco continued to stare at him with a look that could almost freeze the sun, Theo added "Alright, so I haven't actually been told that by anyone, but I'm sure that's what they're thinking."

Rolling his eyes, Draco looked down and was happy to see Hermione was still sound asleep. Looking back over at Theo, who was now making himself comfy in one of the chairs, Draco said "What do you think you're doing? Get the hell out of here before you wake her up too."

Shaking his head, Theo said "Sorry mate, but if I don't talk to you now, I may not find another chance to seeing as how you keep yourself locked away these days."

Not wanting to continue arguing with Theo and risk waking Hermione up, Draco slowly began to move himself out from under her, and placed a few more blankets on top before leaving the bed. Grabbing his wand from the night stand and sticking it is his back pocket, Draco rolled up his sleeves and nodded his head towards the door.

Taking the hint, Theo stood from the chair and tip toed across the wooden floor and made his way to the door. Once the two Slytherins were out in the hall, Draco said "This better be good. If this is you needing attention or something, I'm sorry, but it's way too early in the morning for that."

Placing his hand over his chest, Theo gasped "While knowing that you have missed me too warms my heart, I promise, I actually do need to talk to you. I don't want to be rude though, how is planning your attack on the Dark Lord going?"

Draco knew his friend was watching his every move, looking for any type of sign that what he was implying was true. Still trying to wake up though, Draco wasn't quite as quick on his feet, and had a feeling that Theo picked his interrogation time for exactly this reason.

Stretching his neck from side to side, Draco let out a small sigh before saying "I know what you're trying to do and it isn't going to work. My inability to provide witty comebacks at the moment doesn't mean I'm going to tell you anything."

Folding his arms, Theo leaned against the wall. "Come, come now Draco. I'm not trying to get any information. I know better than to try and trick you."

Placing his hand on Draco's arms, he continued to say "I'm just a friend who cares about you, and is concerned about how your little project is coming along. You four have been locked up in Hermione's room for days now, so I can only imagine it's going well."

Pulling his fingers through his hair a few times, Draco slightly grinned as he picked up his friend's hand and let it fall off of him. "Although I am very touched by your need to care about me, like I said, I'm not going to say anything on what is or is not happening when we all talk. I know you have this strange need to know everything that is going on, but this is bigger than that and way more serious."

Shaking his head, Draco added under his breath "I swear, sometimes you're worse than that annoying group of girls who hang outside the bathrooms and gossip between classes."

Smiling, Theo said "Hey now, those are some really great girls. Thanks to all their chit chat, they really know how to use those mouths of theirs… and their tongues..."

Allowing himself to slightly chuckle at his friend, Draco said "For Merlin's sake Nott, I'm trying to be serious here. Even if I wanted to tell you, I couldn't."

Eyeing his friend, Theo asked "And why is that?"

"Potter doesn't want anyone else knowing what is going on, at least for the moment."

"I didn't realize that you're taking orders from Potter now. My, my times certainly have changed haven't they?"

Draco knew Theo was now trying to aggravate him into giving in. Instead of playing his cat and mouse game though, Draco decided to ask "Why do you even care about what we are doing? Seeing as how you seem to think that you have some idea of what we are trying to do, wouldn't knowing we are trying to figure out a plan to defeat the Dark Lord have you running the other way? Usually when you hear something is dangerous you're already a good five steps in the opposite direction."

Scoffing at his friends insult, Theo said "Well that is just uncalled for."

"You know it's true."

"Name one time I-"

"My tenth birthday party. My mother had arranged for all of us to have brooms so we could play a game of Quidditch in my back yard, and you couldn't even go four feet in to the air without having a panic attack. You came down so fast from that broom, I could have sworn for a second there, that you were the snitch."

Theo waved Draco's comment off. "So I don't like heights, sue me. That doesn't prove-"

"How about the time when I asked you to come and spy on Potter with me, and try to figure out what he was up to? If I remember correctly, you told me that Hagrid's hut was too close to the forest, and you didn't want to be out there because of what might get you."

"Oh, well if _I_ remember correctly, that plan of yours backfired and you ended up in detention along with them in that bloody soul sucking forest. So yeah, great job there mate."

Clenching his jaw, Draco said "Fine. Bad example, but I still don't get why you care so much about what we are doing-"

"Have you ever thought that maybe I do care?"

Draco was surprised to hear his friend use such a direct tone. Theo was usually never one to be so serious, and it took Draco back for a second.

Furrowing his brow, he asked Theo "What do you mean? Are you actually trying to tell me that you suddenly have this burning interest to help with what you _think_ we are doing?"

Theo began to pick at the already peeling wallpaper as he took his time to answer. A few moments of silence passed before he finally said "Look, it isn't just me. I know Blaise won't admit to it right now, but we both have been feeling like we need to do something. If we stay in this house any longer we are going to go insane."

"So because you two are bored, you want to-"

"It isn't about being bored, Draco. Even though I don't think I could read those books I found in my room again for the tenth time, wanting to be involved has nothing to do with boredom."

Folding his arm, Draco said "What does it have to do with then?"

Continuing to pick off tiny pieces of wallpaper, Theo said "I'm not really sure, to be honest with you. All I know is that the night when Blaise and I ran was the first time in my life, I actually felt like I did something worth being proud of, something I had done for myself for once."

There had only been a handful of times in the span of their friendship when Draco could remember Theo looking so solemn. Other than when he told Theo about his mother, the rest of the times were brought on mostly by his father. Although Draco had learned that his friend dealt with most of his feelings with humor and an abundance of sarcastic charm, he also knew that under all of his witty charisma were years and years of repressed emotions. Although Theo was also raised in a home where feelings were considered a sign of weakness, Draco knew Theo's home life was much stricter than what he had grown up with. Knowing that it took a lot for Theo to show anything more than his usually overly cheery self, Draco waited for his friend to continue with the words that had wanted to be said for some time now.

"I think I have finally figured out what is worse than being alone, and that's being alone while hating the person you've become. My whole life I've just been going along with who my father wanted me to be. Sure, I'll admit that I have enjoyed the perks that it came with. Only the finest clothes hung in my closets, along with the most expensive wines and desserts stocked in the pantries, but at the end of the day, knowing the real reason for having all those things takes its toll on you little by little."

Nodding his head in agreement, Draco said "I completely understand where you're coming from."

Turning his head so he could now see the concerned look in his friend's eyes, Theo stood himself up a little straighter and casually said "Anyways, I guess I just wanted to let you know that Blaise and I have been having our own secret little powwows, and while he may not show it, I know he also feels the same way I do. If we have a choice of sitting around here and not doing shit or going out there and causing it, I think you know by now I am an excellent candidate at stirring things up."

Chuckling in agreement, Draco said "I can't promise anything. You have to understand, when Potter hears you want to help or even be a part of it he's going to lose his mind."

Bringing his lips into a pout, Theo said "Oh pwetty pwease Draco, use some of that Malfoy charm we all know you have been spoiling Granger with. I'm sure that's how you managed to have her believe you're some kind of gentlemen."

"Ha-ha. I was actually suppose to come and find the two of you this morning and ask if you could stay out of the kitchen area for awhile. Granger will undoubtedly be placing some protective enchantments up so you can't hear us, but they are hoping you two wouldn't come down for awhile."

Watching his friend give him a 'what's in it for me' look, Draco reminded Theo that "You want even the slightest chance at being told what's going on? Start by doing them this favor."

Theo groaned in apprehension, but knew Draco was right. "Fine, fine. I'm guessing you can't even give me a hint of what you guys are doing down there?"

Draco eyed his friend who was now pleading with his hands as he pouted. Giving him a pat on the shoulder, Draco began to turn and walk back to his room when he heard Theo say "It's weird isn't it? It's almost like time when we would go home for the holidays."

Turning back to look at Theo, Draco said "I'm surprised to hear you say that. I never pegged you for being excited to go back home."

"Ah yes well, if you remember; Dear old dad would always be away during the Christmas holiday, leaving me the house all to myself."

"That's right. He usually spends this time in Germany doesn't he?"

Laughing, Theo said "No, no. Germany is where Adele lives. Although he loves her streusel, he only sees her during his trips to Hamburg in the spring. No, during the winter it's always a two week vacation to Paris to see Jacalyn, which always seemed to correspond with me just getting back from break. He always said he'd try to 'pop' in on Christmas morning to say hello, but after about the age of nine, I didn't hold my breath."

As he listened to his friend talk, Draco's mind began to wander. Soon after hearing Theo say something about how his father very much enjoyed Jacalyn's sugary crème brulee more than streusel, Draco said "You're father has other house around Europe doesn't he?"

"Sure does. He has one in Germany, France, Italy… hell even Greece. Spends all his money on ridiculous houses, but the one year I ask for a new chess set for my birthday, remember what he gave me?"

Draco sighed as he said "Nothing."

"Bingo. My fucking father didn't even remember it was my birthday until our house elf brought a cake out after dinner, and you know what? Bastard made him take it back saying I didn't deserve any because I hadn't done anything that day to actually deserve cake."

"Next birthday, I promise I'll get you a nice big cake topped with all the vanilla frosting you want."

Groaning, Theo said "Chocolate Draco, I need chocolate frosting. How do you keep forgetting this fact about me?"

Draco smiled as his friend turned to head back to his room. Before Theo reached his door, he said "I still make no promises about what Potter will say, but I do promise to use some of that charm on him."

Watching Theo push open his bedroom door and nod in understanding, Draco stood alone in the hallway for a moment, before going back to his room. He thought about the fact that although Theo's father was a horrible man, who should have never been allowed to raise his son, he couldn't help but think that he may finally be able to help his son after all.

* * *

Draco had returned to his bedroom to find Hermione already nose deep in a book, scribbling down notes as she read. After explain how he had just talked to Theo about him and Blaise staying in their room for the afternoon, he convinced her to leave the parchment behind and take a promised "quick" shower with him.

"It makes the most logical sense Granger, to help save water or some bullshit like that."

Rolling her eyes at his comment, Hermione smiled as she grabbed her beaded bag and headed towards the door.

After making sure the hallway was clear, Hermione made a quick dash to the bathroom, while Draco purposefully took his time. Once they were both inside, she quickly shut the door behind him and lit one of the small lamps.

"Were you trying to have someone see us, or did you feel like walking at the pace of a tortoise?"

Grinning at her flustered tone, Draco waved his wand and the shower came on full blast. Waving it a second time, he placed a silencing charm while he watched as steam began to engulf the room. Standing behind her, he gently rested a hand on her hip while the other began to tangle his fingers in her long, auburn hair. Pushing her curls to the side, Draco leaned in and placed one soft kiss after another down her neck.

"You know, I haven't properly thanked you yet for being there for me last night."

Smiling, Hermione closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling of his soft lips and warm breath wash over her. As goose-bumps crawled across her skin, she muttered "There's no need to thank me Draco. It's what you do for someone you care about."

Draco spun Hermione around so he could better see her. With a gentle hand, he reoriented her face so that he could hold her gaze.

"Thank you Hermione, for listening to me and telling me what I needed to hear. When I'm with you, I feel safe. When I look at you, everything seems just a little less scary. When I wake up in the middle of the night and feel you next to me, I'm able to relax and hang on to my sanity. The words 'thank you' doesn't even begin to describe how grateful I am for everything you do for me."

Hermione was sure Draco could feel her heart pounding against her chest. He was looking at her in a way that was only intensifying the spark that had now ignited between them, and it was taking everything in her to not let the flame consume her.

Feeling her hand slide up behind his neck, the rest of the world seemed to vanish. Everything had now been banished to the far corners of his mind and the only thing that mattered was her. His need to touch her, kiss her, and taste her was all that was left.

Hermione's lips slowly parted as she inhaled deeply. In that moment, Draco had taken the opportunity to steal the words she was about to say, right out of her mouth. In what seemed like only a second, she felt herself raise her arms and allow Draco to pull off her shirt and toss it to the side while she watched him do the same. Hanging her fingers from the waistband of his pants, she pulled him closer. Feeling his warm skin press up against hers sent a shiver down her spine and down to her toes. Within another second, they both had managed to slip of their pants and were now becoming entangled together.

Draco led them into the shower, making sure to keep his hands on her hips as he guided her back. The water began to drip down her curls and onto him. As he kissed her harder, deeper, he could have sworn she began to taste even sweeter.

Feeling Draco add more and more pressure to each kiss he placed on her skin, the moment he pressed her up against the wall drove all the air from her lungs. Soft moans fell from her lips as she coiled her arms tighter around his neck. His tongue felt as if it were carving every inch of her body that left a trail of fire behind it. The rushing sound of the water started to mix with the steam, slowly clouding her head. Allowing the water to dissolve away any and all thoughts from her mind, she barely heard Draco whisper, what was about to come next.

* * *

Realizing that their 'quick' shower had now turned into almost forty minutes, Hermione finished getting ready as fast as she could. After throwing on a clean pair of jeans and blue form fitting sweater, she threw her hair up into a braid and left Draco to finish getting ready.

As she closed the door to the bathroom, she began to make her way back to her bedroom. She was in such a rush that she almost didn't see the smiling Slytherin leaning against his door frame as she walked by.

Finally catching his eye, Hermione almost screamed in surprised. "For Merlin's sake Theo!" Clutching her heart, she breathed "Say something next time, don't just stand there being all creepy."

Laughing at her startled tone, he said "Didn't mean to frighten you Hermione, was just waiting to take a shower is all."

Sighing as he nodded his head towards the bathroom, he added "I must admit, I'm a bit jealous of Draco right now. I wish I could start my day off like that."

Blushing at his remark, she quickly said "Well, you know we only thought it would help save some time and.. help conserve water and everything.."

Raising an eyebrow, Theo said "If that's the line Draco gave to get you in there, I have either been trying way too hard to get girls in the shower with me, or I just need to find ones who actually believe that is my main concern."

Feeling her cheeks turn red again, Hermione said "Well, I just thought-"

Chuckling under his breath, he said "Hermione, learn to know your audience. You never have to explain to me the importance of showering together to save water. I'm just giving you a hard time, because it's kind of what I do."

Watching as her shoulders relaxed, he added "Sorry if I made you uncomfortable."

Laughing a little too, she said "No, you're fine. Draco told me that he asked you and Blaise to give us the kitchen today, and I just want to thank you for understanding."

"It's no problem. I hope I didn't wake you up too when I came in to Draco's room this morning to grab him."

"You came in to Draco's room this morning and he wasn't awake?"

"I meant.. when I knocked on the door this morning and woke Draco up, who was more than happy to invite me in to the room. Hope I didn't wake you up then."

Seeing a grin spread across his face, Hermione eyed him for a moment before saying "I'm sure that is exactly what happened, and no, you didn't wake me up."

"I'm glad to hear it. Question for you though Granger, if I am being banished to my room all day, I'm going to need something else to read. If I have to look at 'Marauding with Monsters' one more time I may actually just go sit in a corner and cry."

Laughing under her breath, Hermione said "Yes, of course. I'll leave some books I think you may like on my dresser. Help yourself to them later."

Hearing a shuffling come up behind Theo, Hermione watched as Blaise appeared behind him.

"Are those two done shagging in the bathroom yet or what? I seriously need to take a piss."

Seeing Hermione standing in the hallway, he said "Well, as long as you're out I think it's time for me to go pay Draco a visit and make him extremely uncomfortable for making me wait. Excuse me."

Pushing past Theo, Hermione said "I'm not sure if he has finished getting dressed yet-"

Waving off her comment, Blaise said "Even better. Maybe it will put a little pep in his step then"

Hearing Theo snicker next to her, she glanced at him, unable to help but laugh a little herself.

* * *

During one of their discussions the previous day, it had been decided that Ron would be the one to ask Luna for her help. While Harry, Hermione, and Draco were in the kitchen figuring out what their next steps would be, Ron would be upstairs filling Luna in on everything that had happened over the past year.

The morning started out with everyone sitting in the kitchen. People were either eating their breakfast while conversing or picking apart their toast in silence. Ron had started to become nervous about the idea of including Luna in their plans, but he knew at this point, they had no choice. Although they had a destination now in mind, they still needed to know if she knew anything about the diadem.

After breakfast, Draco gave Theo and Blaise a nod, which signaled them to head back upstairs for the rest of the afternoon. Huffing and puffing all the way up the steps, they both made their exit in dramatic fashion. After the kitchen was cleaned, Ron had asked Luna if he could talk to her upstairs in private, leaving the room empty for the other three to work.

Once Hermione was left with Harry and Draco, she cast a few charms around the room to make sure their work would go unheard by anyone who could be eaves dropping. Both Bill and Fleur had stepped out for the day, keeping their destination a secret. Knowing they had a short amount of time to use the space downstairs, they set to work.

However, as the bright morning sun rose high in the sky, it was suddenly now late afternoon. The three were still sitting in the kitchen and felt as if they had nothing to show for their hours of work. They had been sitting in almost silence for some time now, with the only sound being Draco hitting his head against the wooden table.

Groaning, Draco said "What the hell is taking Weasel so long up there with her? It's been hours and they haven't come back down yet."

Setting down the same book she had now read five times, Hermione said "Ron has a lot to tell her. He has to fill her in on over a year's worth of information and I'm sure she has questions."

Keeping his head down on the table this time, Draco sighed. "I still think our best bet is going to check out Valbone Valley. From what it sounds like, a lot of crazy, dark shit is and has gone down there. If what the goblin says is true too, it seems like a pretty important place for The Dark Lord for some reason."

Picking his head back up, he added "Besides, if vampires are hanging around there, practicing blood magic, you know crazy people will flock to them if they think they could learn something about how they stay immortal. And you know who's crazy enough to go hang out with vampires? Well, 'You-Know-Who'."

Harry tossed down the book he had been reading as well. "Although you have a point, I'm not going on a wild goose chase hoping to find something there. We need a reason, and we need to figure out where the last two horcruxes could be."

Sitting back in her chair, Hermione said "I think we could all use a break right now. Maybe I should make us some tea."

Watching her stand from the table, Draco thanked her as he rolled up the cuffs of his sleeve. He had been trying to decide on the right time to talk to Harry about what Theo had said, and he figured now was as good of time as any.

 _It's not like our cheery mood is going to get any better from here._

Taking his mug from Hermione, Draco sipped his earl grey tea before implementing his so called 'Malfoy charm'.

"So I have been thinking Potter, about trying to figure out where we could possibly stay trying to get to Albania. Although, I'm still not sure on the 'how' we will get there, the 'where' I may have solved."

Raising an eyebrow, Harry set down his mug and asked "And, where exactly is that?"

Speaking as nonchalantly as he could, Draco said "Well, I know that Theo's family has houses all across Europe, and if we can find a use for those empty homes then I say why the hell not?"

Taking another sip of tea, Draco watched as Harry's eyes grew twice their size. Hermione was out of his range of sight at the moment, but he would have placed his family's fortune on the fact that hers were probably at least three times that of Harry's.

"You can't be serious." Harry's words were dry as he spoke. "There's no way we would stay in a known Death Eater's house. Are you trying to get us caught? What would happen if his father just happens to drop by-"

"Well, see there's the beauty in it. I know for a fact that in about a week, he will be in Paris for two weeks straight and from the sounds of it, will have no intensions on leaving once he is there."

Still dumbfounded by Draco's idea, Harry said "And how do you know this?"

Finally taking a glace towards Hermione who had been standing behind him at the sink, he was right in thinking her expression matched her friends.

"I know Theo's father is always away during the Christmas holiday and that's coming up soon. I know there would be a lot we would have to discuss and figure out, but I'm sure Theo would be more than willing to help with that."

If Harry hadn't swallowed his tongue before, Draco watched as it finally slid all the way down his throat. Almost sputtering for the words to come out, he listed to Harry say "Absolutely out of the question. There's no way we are getting him involved."

"And why is that?"

"I shouldn't even have to answer that question! We are talking about someone who-"

"I'd advise you to watch what you say Potter. While both Theo and Blaise have had their 'not so proud of moments' in life, I'll remind you that you're now sitting next to someone who actually has the Dark Mark branded on to their skin and had the unthinkable task of killing Dumbledore placed on them. Sure, I came to my senses, but it had almost been too late. At least they had the nerve to run before they were marked for life and trapped in that hell."

Draco could feel his blood rushing through his veins. Taking a calming breath, he continued to say "All I am trying to say here is that people can't change what has already happened, but sometimes what does happen can change them. The way a person feels, who they see themselves as, and what they value can all become clear to them if they find the one thing that suddenly changes it."

Harry held his stare with Draco, carefully listening to every word. Waiting a moment before replying, he finally said "You're telling me that Theo and Blaise have suddenly changed and would want to help us?"

"Here's the thing you should know about all three of us Potter. We have all made mistakes, but for one reason or another, we are all looking for some type of redemption. Whether it's from making all the wrong fucking decisions in life or if it was not standing up sooner for what we knew was wrong, it all comes down to one thing for us. Trying to find a way to right those wrongs, and at the end of the day, being satisfied with the man you have become. I may be on my way, or at least stumbling through it, but for Theo and Blaise, I think they are also ready to not only survive this, but to make it right."

Hermione hadn't said a word since Draco and Harry started their tense conversation. Although she knew Draco had good motives to help his friends, she wasn't too sure about involving even more people. It was hard enough to have a consensus about telling Luna, she was sure that coming to an agreement about Theo and Blaise would be next to impossible.

 _Although, having places to stay along the way may be a better option than what we have now._

A few minutes had passed now since Draco finishing speaking, and all he could discern from Harry's stare, was the fact that he was still indeed looking at him. He was about to ask Harry to at least blink a few times to know he was still alive, when he heard footsteps coming down the stairs.

The three all turned their attention to Ron and Luna, who were now entering the kitchen. Hermione waved her wand and walked over to the table to clear away her books and notes to make room for them.

"Sorry we haven't been down till now." Pulling out a chair for Luna to sit in, Ron said "There was a lot to go over with her, but I think I have managed to catch her up on everything and answer all her questions."

Taking a seat next to Harry, Luna said "I can see why you all would think that You-Know-Who would try and find the diadem. It makes sense to me that he'd want a full set, or as close as he could. I'll tell you what I know about it, but I'm not sure it will help us."

Taking the cup of tea Hermione was giving him, Ron began to take a sip when he noticed something in the room was off. Realizing that his best friend and Draco were in a staring competition, he asked "Is something wrong?"

It was Harry who answered the question. "Nothing's wrong. Malfoy was just telling me that he had an idea for where we could stay if we decide to go to Albania."

"Great! Why didn't you bring that up sooner?"

Ron gave Draco an inquisitive look, but it was Harry who once again answered the question.

"Well, he didn't bring it up because there's a little problem that goes along with it. You see, to use these places, we are going to have to ask for some more help."

"What do you mean 'more help', help from who?"

Deciding it would be better for him to just come out and say it, Draco said "I was just telling Potter here, that Theo's family has more houses then I do fingers, and they are scattered everywhere. His father will be in Paris for two weeks soon, and we could use them-"

Hearing Ron start to chuckle, Draco stopped speaking.

"Harry, he isn't serious is he?"

Ron was looking at his best friend in disbelief. Turning to Hermione, he said "Your boyfriend is making a joke, isn't he?"

Hermione still had been quiet about the subject until now. She was about to speak when Luna said "If he is making a joke, I think the punch line needs a little bit of work. If he's being serious though, I think it's a great idea."

Surprised at her response, Draco asked "You do?"

"Yes, I do. Not only are more minds better at solving problems, I think that it would be an excellent idea to stay at places that are familiar, at least familiar to one of us."

Nodding her head in agreement, Hermione said "I was skeptical at the idea at first too, but I agree with Luna. If we are planning to travel all the way to Albania, it may be safer staying in places that could help keep us as such."

Draco watched as Ron's eyes became the same size Harry's were, only twenty minutes ago.

"Harry, please tell me that you don't think getting those two involved is a good idea too."

Harry looked back over to Draco. His plan had always been to keep his mission a secret, to keep as many people safe and out of harm's way as he could. However, it seemed as of late that his plan was becoming increasingly more difficult.

Draco was still making eye contact with Harry and waiting for his response to Ron's question. Feeling his impatience growing quickly, he sighed and said "I sometimes get lost in my own eyes too Potter, but I'd like to know your answer as well."

Rolling his eyes, Harry said "It's not that I don't-"

Suddenly pausing due to the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs, Harry decided to not finish his train of thought as he watched Theo practically bound in to the kitchen.

"Why is it that every time I find you all together, it seems like I've entered a bloody morgue or something?"

Theo propped himself up on to the counter top while Blaise took the last seat next to Draco.

Shooting an annoyed look over to Theo, Ron asked "What are you two doing down here anyways? I thought you were staying upstairs."

Taking a bite out of an apple he grabbed from the bowl, Theo said "We heard a commotion down here, and figured if we could hear you guys now the silencing charms must be down. I took that as an opportunity to get a break from that room."

"That, and the fact that he has been whining for the last hour because as he put it 'If he doesn't eat soon, he will shrivel up and die of hunger'."

Chewing between each word, Theo muttered "Okay, so I may get a tiny bit dramatic when my blood sugar is low, but I was starving."

Finishing his last bite, Theo looked around the silent and increasingly tense room. When he finally caught Draco's eyes he asked "I'm guessing you asking about us helping didn't go so great huh?"

Clenching his teeth, Draco said "Not now Nott-"

"Of course it didn't go well! How in the world would you think we'd be alright with telling you two anything about what's going on?"

Ron was looking back and forth between the two Slytherins. "You're out of your bloody minds if you think-"

"Ron, we were still talking about that when they came downstairs. We hadn't all made a decision yet."

Hermione was still standing next to the kitchen sink. Although she was out of his line of sight, Draco could tell by the tone of her voice exactly what shade of pink her cheeks were now turning.

Chaos suddenly broke out in the kitchen. Everyone was saying something to someone and no one could actually hear what was being directed to them. After a few minutes had gone by, Draco noticed the look shared between Theo and Blaise.

Turning his full attention towards Blaise, Draco whispered "What's up with you two?"

Watching as Theo shook his head at Blaise, Draco turned his attention towards him and asked "You're acting even stranger than normal, what are you shaking your head at Blaise for?"

Grabbing the back of his shoulder and squeezing it, Theo rolled his neck awkwardly a few times before muttering "We may have over heard a few things earlier.."

In an instant, the room fell silent. Furrowing his brow, Draco said "What do you mean, what did you hear earlier?"

Hearing Blaise sigh in exasperation, Theo watched as all eyes fell on him waiting for an answer.

"I had my silencing charms up all afternoon, I didn't take them down until Luna and Ron came downstairs just a few minutes before you two came down. There's no way you heard us talking earlier."

Glancing over at Ron, Theo said "Our walls _may_ or may not have been thin enough to hear another conversation happening earlier."

Confused by what he was hearing, Ron said "Your room doesn't share a wall with mine, in fact it's nowhere near mine. What the hell are you talking about?"

Draco could hear Blaise mutter "This isn't going to be pretty" under his breath as Theo began to say "Well, I guess technically it wasn't our wall, but Hermione's wall does."

Suddenly feeling an overwhelming need to stand from his seat, Draco gritted his teeth as he said "What the _hell_ were you doing in her room Nott? I ask you one simple thing, and that was to stay in your room, and what do you do? You decide to-"

"Hey, whoa now, Hermione said I could go in to her room earlier today, didn't you?"

With all eyes on Hermione now, she suddenly remembered Theo was right.

"Well, I did tell him I was going to leave some books on my dresser for him to take, but I never said to hang out in there and eaves drop on a very important, very _private_ conversation."

Hopping down from the countertop, Theo said "I wasn't planning on staying, although I do admit it smells significantly better in there than what I've been dealing with. What is that smell anyways? It's a fruity scent I do believe, almost like strawberry or cherry-"

With a stare as cold as the winter chill outside, Draco shot his friend a look as he said "Continue… explaining yourself. Now."

"Oh right, where was I… ah yes. So anyways I went to grab the books and although they did look like ones I would have enjoyed immensely Hermione, thank you, I have to admit the stories I started to hear from just the other side of the wall were much more fascinating."

Folding his arms, Ron said "So you think it's alright to just stay in there and listen to the whole thing?"

Pretending to look insulted by his words, Theo said "Of course I don't. However, given the fact that both Blaise and I have tried to tell you all that not only did we have an idea of what was going on, we wanted in. I knew Draco would try and convince you guys to let us help, but I had a feeling the odds of that happening were slim to none. So instead, I thought that if I found out about what is really going on, I'd be easier to convince you all even saying that even after hearing everything we still wanted to help."

Seeing as how everyone still looked as if they wanted to hex him to Hogsmeade and back, Theo gave a small sigh before saying "Look, I promise I didn't intend on hearing everything that I did, but once I heard Weasel talking to Lovegood about the past year of your lives, I just couldn't bring myself to leave. Here you all are, your whole life standing up for something you believe in and what you know is right. For me though it's a bit of a new concept. I know you four don't know me, or Blaise for that matter very well, but I can assure you that when we say we want to help, we mean it. I haven't been very happy with myself and the choices I have made, or really haven't made, for years now. Creating a different future than what was planned for me is something I'm still struggling with, but if the opportunity comes along that lets me do that, I'm ready to take it if you'll let me."

Draco watched as his friend gave a speech even he wasn't prepared to hear. Looking over at the Golden Trio who looked a bit speechless themselves, he hid his smile for his friend as he waited for one of them to respond to his offer. Noticing the looks that were being shared between Harry, Ron and Hermione, he had a feeling they were somehow now communicating with each other on what they just heard.

Giving a slight nod to both of his best friends, Harry was the one to speak. "Here we were assuming the worst in you two, while you assumed the worst in us, thinking we wouldn't give you a chance. Seems like we all need to learn how to trust each other a little more if this is somehow going to work."

Hermione smiled as she watched Theo's eyes fill with gratitude. Glancing over at Blaise, he seemed to be in just as much shock.

"So, did you also accidently overhear Ron and Luna's conversation as well then?"

Blaise nodded. "When Theo didn't come back from picking up those books, I found him in your room."

Sitting back down in his chair now, Draco said "So how much did you two actually hear?"

Fiddling with his hands, Theo said "Well, you know bits and pieces here and there, just enough to get the gist really."

"So you heard pretty much everything didn't you?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

Draco tried to hide his grin again as he felt Hermione walk up behind him and place a hand on his shoulder.

Giving it a gentle squeeze, she said "Now that we are all are aware of what lies ahead, I think it's going to be important that we go over a few things before anything else is done."

Giving his stomach a pat, Theo said "Well that is all fine with me, can I vote we do that after I eat something? Don't want to be dramatic here, but I can feel myself wasting away as we speak."

Knowing they should probably all eat something before beginning what would be a long night of conversation, Hermione said "Why don't I clear off the table and we can start making something to eat?"

As everyone got out of their seat and started to get the food and table ready, Hermione started gathering up her notes and placing them back in her bag.

With a box of crackers he had found in one hand and grabbing handfuls of them to eat with the other, Theo looked over to Luna and asked "So, you're in Ravenclaw. Ever heard anything about this diadem thing?"

Before Luna could answer, Harry said "I thought we agreed before talking about anything else, we have to go over a few things."

Chiming in as well, Draco added "Just sit down with your box of crackers there and keep your mouth full. Maybe it will help keep you out of trouble."

Setting the box down, Theo said "Yeah, but aren't you curious to know what she knows!"

Before Draco could respond, Luna said "I promise I'll tell you everything Helena told me about her mother's diadem right after we have our talk. Although, I'm not sure how much help it's going to be."

With all eyes on Luna now, the room became suddenly quiet. It was Hermione who finally asked the question on everyone's mind.

"Helena, as in Helena Ravenclaw?"

Watching Luna nod her head, Theo said "Okay, yeah right. You talked to Helena Ravenclaw, a woman that has been dead for almost a thousand years. That'd only be possible if she were a ghost or something."

"Exactly" she said.

"Exactly."

Theo was staring at the blond haired witch as if he had proven her wrong. It wasn't until he took another handful of salty crackers and started eating them did he notice the look on everyone's face.

As it suddenly clicked in his brain, Theo cleared his throat as he casually said "Please, go on then.."

* * *

Note: Happy 2017 everyone! I'm excited to be posting this chapter because it means we are one step closer on our journey :)

Sadly, class has once again started. However, this semester doesn't seem nearly as demanding as my last so hopefully I'll be able to post chapters a little sooner this time.

Thank you for all the amazing reviews and all the new favs/follows! I'm so glad you all have been enjoying the story so far. These next few chapters I have been really excited to get to. I know you were able to see a little more of Theo and his back story this chapter, I promise Blaise will also have his dug into soon as well.

I hope you all have a great weekend and you aren't as freezing as I am with this weather. Now, if you'll excuse me I have a date tonight with a bottle of wine and a man named Count Olaf :)

- _Toujours._


	30. Chapter 30: Helena Ravenclaw

**Wounded**

Chapter 30: Helena Ravenclaw

Snow began falling down outside the window, swirling and dancing in the air before softly hitting the ground. With the exception of Theo's incessant chewing, the room was silent as they all waited for Luna to continue speaking.

Looking around the room, she asked "Are you sure you want me to explain right now? I thought we were all hungry-"

In an almost unison response, everyone replied either "No", "I'm not hungry anymore" or in Theo's case, "I'll just go ahead and finish this box."

As she smiled and nodded in understanding, the blond haired witched grabbed the chair in front of her and gestured for everyone else to take a seats as well.

Hermione took a stool next to Luna while Draco stood behind her, leaning against the counter. The rest of her friends grabbed the chairs around the table as well as she began listening to her friend explain her relationship with the ghost of Helena Ravenclaw.

"I guess I'll go back to the beginning then…"

Luna started to talk about her first year at Hogwarts. She explained to them that while she did have a few friends, she would find herself spending much of her time wandering the castle halls.

"It was late one night during my first year, and I was headed back to the common room when I suddenly found myself in part of the castle I had never been before. I didn't know who she was at the time, but the Grey Lady was kind enough to help me find my way back to my common room."

It was Harry who clarified "So, the Grey Lady is Helena Ravenclaw then?"

Nodding her head, Luna said "That's right. I don't think many students know who she actually is, if any at all. I've never heard her talking to others about her past or how she even became Ravenclaw's house ghost. My whole first year, I had no idea of her real identity. It wasn't actually until my second year when I was on my way to breakfast did we really start to become something along the lines of friends you could say. I had heard someone crying down a corridor, and when I went to look who it was I found her. She apologized for making me come see who it was, but I told her it was really no trouble. When I asked if there was anything I could do for her she told me it was nice to offer, but I should be on my way before I was late to breakfast."

Draco continued to listen to Luna's story as his eyes began to drift over to the kitchen window. The snow seemed to be coming down faster now as he watched each individual flake begin to pile on top of each other. Although the late afternoon sun was still pouring its rays down upon the earth, it was clear that any warmth they still possessed were no match for the bitter cold of December. The sky was now a mixture of yellow and pink, with night's brilliant shade of blue starting to overpower the horizon. Turning his gaze back towards Luna, he watched as the witch began using her fingers to count on.

"Was it three, no four times I believe that I found her crying my second year. I started to make sure I found her every day just to ask how she was doing. She was always grateful for me checking up on her, but always replied by saying she was 'fine' and that I should be off before I was late for whatever reason. Finally though, towards the end of the year I was able to get more than a 'fine' in response to how she was doing. One time Helena explained to me that she was feeling sad and that she had been thinking about her mum. I didn't press it any further than that, but I told her that I sometimes feel sad when thinking about my mum as well. She smiled at the gesture and then each time I went to find her after that she began opening up a little more at a time."

Hermione was hanging on every word. She was so upset with herself that she hadn't realized who the Grey Lady actually was until now. All she wanted to do was to gather her books and try to figure out how she could have missed this fact.

 _How could I have been so oblivious? To have one of the founder's daughters right under my nose, it's just amazing._

"During my third year is when we really started to confide in each other. I think it was the anniversary of my mum's death when Helena finally felt comfortable telling me who she really was. You see, ever since my mum passed away, on February fifteenth I write a letter to her, explaining everything that has happened in my life since the last time I wrote..."

Hermione's heart sank. Her mind started to wander to her mother and although she couldn't see him, she had a feeling Draco's thoughts were also doing the same.

"I always address her name on the envelope and send it with an owl. I know that she isn't actually with us anymore, but for whatever reason the owl never comes back to me with the letter. I'm not sure where it ends up, but just knowing it goes somewhere makes me feel a little closer to her I guess."

Draco watched a smile spread across Luna's face. He knew it was a strange thing to be jealous of, but he wondered if he'd ever be able to smile again when thinking about his mother.

Taking a moment to collect her thoughts, Luna slightly shook her head and said "Anyways, I had been on my way back from the owlery that day when the Grey Lady was actually the one to find me wandering the corridors. She had asked why I looked so solemn that day, and I explained to her what actually happened with my mum and how she passed. I'm not sure if me opening up to her about my past was what made her feel comfortable enough for her to open up as well, but she told me that she misses her mother as well and to this day actually blames herself for her mother's passing."

Confused, Hermione said "Rowena Ravenclaw died from illness, why does she blame herself?"

"Well, I told her that she was probably being too hard on herself and it wasn't really her fault. However, after a few moments of reluctance, she told me who she really was. The Grey Lady explained that she was Helena Ravenclaw, daughter of Rowena Ravenclaw and began opening up about how she really died."

Hermione watched as Luna went to take a sip of tea from her mug when she realized it was now empty. Standing from the table, she reached over and said "Here, let me make you some more."

Grabbing the cup from her friend, she walked over to where they kept the tea bags. She set the mug on top of the counter and was about to reach for one when the falling snow outside caught her attention. The sun was now almost completely swallowed by the horizon, but still illuminated the blanket of white that now stretched out in front of her as far as she could see. Still hearing Luna talk behind her, the words slowly began to blur together as her mind began to wander.

Whether it was Luna talking about her mother or the freshly blanketed earth, Hermione's mind began to drift off to memories with her own parents. She thought back to all the times she had spent the holidays at home with them, either visiting their family cabin in the woods or enjoying a holiday trip somewhere together. Fresh snow always brought them to a destination that involved being outside in what her father called one of nature's 'chilliest, but purest gifts'. At that moment though, one time in particular started to stand out in her mind when Hermione and her mother were standing on their cabin's deck, looking out on to the freshly powdered forest….

…..

Taking a sip from her mug, Hermione's tongue tasted the overly sweetened hot chocolate her mum had made for the both of them. Trying not to laugh too hard, she could help but chuckle at the fact that although her mum was a dentist and had never been one for sweets, she had always had a weakness to over indulge on hot chocolate and a few heaping handfuls of marshmallows. Hearing her mum take a deep sigh before speaking, Hermione took another sweet sip before looking up at her.

"I just absolutely love how clean and crisp the air is out here, don't you?"

Hermione nodded while adding "You know dad's going to be jealous we made hot chocolate without him right?"

Laughing at her daughter's concern, she said "Yes, you're right, he probably will be. However, I will be more than happy to make him a cup when he gets out of the shower, and if I so happen to make a little more than I should have, we may as well have another mug ourselves, hmm?"

Smiling, Hermione answered "Seems reasonable to me."

Looking back out towards the trees, a sense of calm began to spread through her. The air was still, and the full moon's bright glow allowed her to see for miles. It seemed that the winter's beauty took both her and her mum's words for a few minutes until she heard her whisper "It always amazes me to think that a single flake of snow seems so insignificant, but when they come together, it's such an amazing and beautiful thing."

…

Still staring out of the kitchen window, Hermione's eyes followed the falling snow until it landed softly on the ground. It wasn't until she heard someone say her name did she realize she had drifted off in thought.

Placing a hand on her back, Draco leaned in and whispered "Granger, you alright?"

Looking from the tea bag still sitting next to her then up to meet Draco's concerned grey eyes, she whispered "Yes… yeah sorry. I just got lost in thought for a moment is all."

Smiling at her 'not so convinced' boyfriend, Hermione watched as he pulled out his wand from his back pocket and notice Luna's mug fill with steaming hot water. Placing the tea bag in her cup, she nodded to him and said "Thank you."

Watching Hermione take the tea back over to her friend, Draco turned his attention back to Luna's story when he heard Theo say "So let me get this straight. You're telling me that Helena stole this diadem from her mother, ran off with it and then told you she hid it in some tree when she heard someone coming and then this person just up and kills her?"

"Well, not just anyone. It was the Bloody Baron that killed her, apparently out of unrequited love. "

The whole room once again fell silent. Hermione found herself lost for words at the moment, but heard Draco ask " _The_ Bloody Baron, as in our house ghost?"

Nodding, Luna said "The very same."

With a smile slowly spreading across his face, Theo said "Alright, now I know you're just fucking with me-"

Ron shot him a nasty glare as he hissed "Language!"

Rolling his eyes, Theo said "Fine, fine, I know you're shitting me then Lovegood."

Draco gave his friend a disapproving look as he said "Because that was any better."

Leaning forward in his chair, Blaise cut in before the topic of Theo's choice of words became the new topic of conversation.

"So explain to me why and how the Bloody Baron was the one to kill Helena please because I'm also finding it a little hard to believe here."

"Well, from what Helena told me is it seems that the Baron was pretty in love with her, however she did not feel the same for him. Soon after she stole it and ran, her mother did become ill. She knew how the Baron felt about her daughter it seems and sent him to go find her in hopes that she could see her one last time before she passed. The good news was that he did end up finding her, although, it didn't turn out quite according to plan. When she refused to leave with him it seems that he ended up killing her in some sort of rage and then took his own life right after when he realized what he had done."

Hermione suddenly realized her mouth was now slightly gaped open as she listened to her friend's words. Knowing she had lost herself in her own thoughts for a few minutes, she asked "Did you say where she had gone though? Where did she run away to with the diadem?"

Biting the inside of her cheek in anticipation as she waited for the answer, Hermione was practically on the edge of her seat when Harry said "She never told you, did she?"

Feeling her heart sink for a second time, Hermione knew the answer before it came out of Luna's mouth.

"No, she never did. Remember I did warn you that what she told me wasn't going to be as helpful as you were thinking it was. I had asked her once where she had traveled to, purely out of curiosity, but she said she'd never say. She said that she had told a young boy once by mistake when they too were talking about each other's departed mothers, but she'd never make that mistake again."

Draco could feel the room's atmosphere shift. Any hope that had been built was now gone. He could tell he wasn't the only one who had let his expectations get the better of him. Pulling his fingers through his hair a few times, he slowly walked up to where Hermione was sitting and lightly placed a hand on her shoulder.

Feeling Draco give her a small squeeze, she said "Well, at least we know now that she did take it, and hid it… somewhere."

Pushing his empty mug aside, Harry said "Did she give any hints of where she may have gone though?"

Standing from her seat, Hermione whispered to Draco "Could you help me get dinner ready?"

Smiling, he nodded and followed her back over to the counter where they had started gathering food the first time. Grabbing the plates that had been piled, he halted for a moment when he heard Luna say "No, she never mentioned a specific name or place. However, she did describe where she went and it did sound beautiful."

Taking the silverware from Hermione to help set up, Ron said "How do you mean?"

Taking the last sip of tea, Luna cleared her throat before saying "Well, she described it as one of the most serene places she had ever been. She stumbled upon this lake while traveling I guess, saying it was crystal clear like glass and as blue as the sky, if not bluer if you can believe it. She said she felt calm there so she decided to stay there for a few days before venturing off to follow a river that broke off from it a little ways down. I guess the river was not as calming as the lake was though. She didn't like the forest very much either, saying it felt like it almost had a pulse or voice of its own."

Pausing for a moment, she continued to say "Except for all the dead animals she found when she was walking, they did not have a pulse. That night she had found a place to rest against an old hollowed out olive tree that stood alone a little ways off banks. As she began to fall asleep, she heard the Baron coming for her so she hid the diadem in the tree and then, well, you know the rest."

Although both Theo and Blaise were now engaged in their own conversation, it was Draco, Hermione, Harry and Ron who were suddenly all staring at each other in silence. As Luna finished telling her story, it seemed that the other four were all thinking along the same lines. As Hermione suddenly reached for her bag to find a certain book, the sound of the front screen door opening and closing made everyone in the room jump.

As Tonks closed the door behind her, she stopped just inside the door to survey the room before pointing over to the Golden Trio and saying "I always get suspicious when I find you three together, but when I come in to find all of 'this'" waving her hands around the room, she continued to say "I become almost terrified. What's going on here guys?"

With no one saying anything for a moment, Hermione slowly dropped the book she had been looking for back in her bag and said "We were just all getting ready to have dinner is all."

Gazing from Hermione, to Harry and making her way around the room, Tonks waited a moment before saying "As much as I want to believe that's true, I have a feeling that there's more going on than just a nice 'sit down family' meal here."

Wanting to shift the topic of conversation, Theo set the empty box down while hoping off of the counter. "I see you went back to the pink hair. I must say it is still by far my favorite color on you."

Rolling her eyes at the remark, Tonks said "I thought I told you to quite it with remarks like those. Don't make me have to silence you myself."

Standing from his chair, Harry quickly said "Here, Tonks. Take my seat, can we offer you some food?"

Waiting until Tonks was seated; Hermione placed a plate in front of her as she said "Thank you Hermione, but I just ate. I actually was coming over here just to make sure everyone was doing alright. I was just with Bill and Fleur and they were going to be a little longer with some errands so I said I'd pop in."

Lifting an eyebrow, Draco asked "What kind of errands?"

Eyeing her cousin, Tonks replied "I'll tell you my secrets if you tell me yours. What's really going on down here?"

Muttering "Touché", Draco took a plate of food that was being handed to him by Luna. Setting it down on the counter, he began to eat.

Knowing that had been a long shot, Tonks said "Well, I guess I had two reasons on coming over. One was because I hadn't checked on you guys in a few days; the other was because I wanted to give you a bit of an update on what's going on out there."

With everyone now eating, all eyes turned towards Tonks as she said "I'm going to be straight with you guys, it feels like the entire bloody world is up in flames. Every day more and more witches and wizards are going missing, and even more of them are turning up murdered. It's the same with muggles too. They know something is wrong, although they aren't sure what that exactly that is just yet, and it's happening all over Europe now."

The room had an unsettled feeling to it. Everyone seemed to be staring at their plates of food, but no one seemed to be eating anymore. Hermione glanced up to meet Tonks' eyes, only to find a look of what she believed was fear and concern staring back. Chewing the inside of her lip for a moment, Hermione broke the silence as she said "I'd rather not get into the details about how I came across it, but I did see some type of pamphlet distributed by the Ministry talking about the importance of a Pureblood society and how to help the Ministry rid the Wizarding World of Muggle-borns. I can only imagine what the Ministry is like now."

Resting her hand on her ever growing stomach, Tonks said "Although I would like to know where and how you found that out, you're correct in your thoughts about the Ministry. It has no intension to help with the murders and disappearances going on. Countless have now gone on the run in fear that they will be brought in for questioning only to be sent to Azkaban or something even worse. Snatchers are everywhere and I mean _everywhere._ There were many parents not wanting to send their children to Hogwarts this year, but You-Know-Who has made it mandatory for all Purebloods and Half-Bloods to attend school, to teach them the way he feels they should be taught."

Looking over at Ron, Tonks continued to say "Before I say anymore, just know that Ginny is safe Ron. Minerva has been keeping us informed when she can, Ginny will be coming home for the holidays soon. Minerva has been telling us some troubling information though. It seems that punishments are being handed out left and right for anyone who opposes anything to do with You-Know-Who and what they are being taught."

Clenching his hand, Harry asked "What do you mean by punishment?"

"Amycus Carrow is now the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. It seems part of his new curriculum is teaching how and when to use the Killing Curse, as well as the Cruciatus Curse. During detentions now, everyone who had been sent there is forced to practice the Cruciatus Curse on each other for hours. His sister, Amycus, is the new Muggle Studies teacher where all she does is fill students head with anti-Muggle propaganda and how it's the Ministry's job to start eradicating them and restore proper balance."

Hermione had been watching Harry and Ron's face grow with disgust. She was sure one of them was going to explode any second now with what they were hearing, and decided to intervene before they did. "I thought Snape was the new Headmaster, can't he do anything about what's going on?"

"He is doing what he can. He isn't able to openly defy what the Carrow's are doing to students, but he is protecting them when he's able and rein them in when possible without drawing attention to himself. We haven't made contact with him in awhile, but Minerva says she is able to have private conversations with him when possible."

Taking a deep breath and holding it for a moment, Draco tried to formulate some type of response in his head to what he had just heard, but all that was there was shock and disgust. He had met Amycus and Alecto a few times when his father had them over to the Manor. He had always found the siblings to be a bit unhinged when interacting with them. It didn't help when Amycus would made crude remarks about his mother right to his face, even when his mother was still in the room.

Feeling the disgust coming from all angles of the room now, Hermione asked "Are you sure I can't get you anything Tonks? Even a glass of water?"

Standing from her chair, Hermione was about to grab her one when Tonks replied "Thank you Hermione, but I probably should be going home now. Mum's going to start getting worried if I'm not back soon."

Straightening himself up from the counter, Draco asked "Is Aunt Andromeda living with you now?"

Sensing her reluctance to answer, Draco asked "What is it? What's wrong?"

Becoming worried himself, Harry also said "Tonks, is there something you're not telling us?"

With a small sigh, she said "Don't be upset with me that I haven't told you yet, but I'm actually living at my mum's now."

Confused, Harry asked "Why is that? Is Remus living with you two as well then?"

"Not, exactly Harry. You see, it's been clear to the Order than you-Know-Who has been trying to recruit whoever he can to his side. Witch, wizards, giants, even werewolves. There's even been talk about You-Know-Who trying to get vampires to join his cause. So, about a week ago Remus left on a mission to try and convince some of the werewolf colonies to not join You-Know-Who's army. Since then, I've been staying with my mum and I haven't heard from him since he left. He told me communication would be hard, but it's still unnerving to not know where he is, or if he is even safe."

Noticing everyone in the room was now strangely looking at each other, Tonks asked "Am I missing something here?"

At the mention of vampires, it seemed everyone was now on the same line of thinking. Before Draco could answer his cousin, he heard Harry say "No, you're not. I think we are all just worried about Remus as well. Did he say how long he'd be gone?"

"He said it could be a few weeks, but he wasn't sure. I'll stay at mum's house until he's back. I know we both could use the company."

Standing to start collecting the leftover food, Luna said "Well, you look great Tonks. Motherhood really suits you."

Nodding in agreement, Ron said "Yeah, you really do. You can really see it in your belly now, you're getting so big!"

Smiling at Ron's comment, Tonks said "And on that flattering note, I think I'll be on my way."

Catching the eye of his cousin, Draco knew what she was thinking and slightly nodded at her implication. Watching as she stood from her chair, he casually said "Let me walk you out Tonks."

The shared looked between the two cousins may have gone unnoticed by most, but Hermione didn't miss a moment of it. Helping Luna and Ron tidy up the kitchen, she continued to observe Draco and Tonks behavior with each other until the two opened the kitchen door and allowed the wind to whip salt filled air around the room.

With Tonks and Draco now outside, Hermione turned her attention to Harry and Ron. She was about to speak when she heard Harry say "Hermione, do you have-"

Before he could finish his sentence though, Hermione was already reopening her beaded bag and taking out titled _Treaties on the Apparitions of Spirits and on Vampires or Revenants Vol. 2_ and said "I think we are all thinking the same thing."

* * *

As Draco stepped outside, away from the warmth of the kitchen, the cold night air hit harshly against his skin before his lungs were suddenly filled with what felt like ice water. Holding the door open for Tonks, he shut it quietly behind her as she turned to face him.

"I won't keep you long Draco, I just wanted to check in on you and make sure you were doing alright."

Taking his wand from his back pocket, Draco gave it a wave, causing a small amount of heat to surround them. "Hopefully this helps a little with the cold. We don't need you catching a cold out here."

Draco gave Tonks a small smile, and although she looked grateful, she waited for his response.

Taking a few more seconds to respond, Draco finally said "I'm doing… better.. I guess. I talked to Granger the other night about what happened."

With a smile, Tonks said "I'm glad to hear that Draco."

"I think I should be asking you how you're doing though. I'm sorry to hear about what your husband has to go through right now. You don't have any idea where he is?"

Shaking her head, Tonks replied "I have a vague idea, but not really. Hopefully he will come back soon though."

Waving his wand again to heat the air around them, Draco said "And how about your mother?"

Giving a small shrug, she said "I think she is doing a little better now that I'm living with her. She enjoys my company, but she still tries to ask me questions sometimes. Questions I still don't really have the answers to, not saying that I should, mind you. I know there are still things you can't tell me. It's just hard to see her like this."

"I still can't really give you any answers, but I can give you a message for Aunt Andromeda from my mother that may bring her some comfort."

Seeing Tonks' confused stare, Draco continued to say "Before my mother went to the Manor, she came here first looking for me. When she figured out where I had gone, she had left a note with Hermione to give to me. In the note, she wanted me to make sure you mother knew how much she appreciated everything she had done for not only her, but for both of us. Your mother's advice and guidance meant a great deal to my mother."

In the short time Tonks had been able to really get to know her once estranged aunt, she had grown very fond of her. She had been able to tell how much her mother and her sister meant to each other.

Feeling her eyes begin to well with tears, she quickly touched the outside corners and said "Damn hormones. I told myself I need to stop crying all the time, but this week has been really trying to test me. Thank you though Draco, for telling me that. I will be sure to relay the message to my mum."

Nodding his head, he waved his wand one more time before saying "I've only just recently began learning how to do this whole comforting thing, but you were there for me when I needed someone. I hope you know I'd do the same for you. If you ever need someone to talk to or have someone to tell you everything will be alright in the end even when it feels like complete bull shit, I'm here to do that for you."

Without warning, Draco suddenly found himself on the receiving end of a giant hug. Taking a second to realize what had happen, he returned the gesture before they separated.

"Thank you Draco, I really appreciate you saying that. I should start heading back to my mum's though. Please tell everyone I said goodbye and I'll be back to check in soon."

As he said goodbye to his cousin, he watched as she started to walk out a ways before finally apparating back to his aunt's house. Although his warming spell had now completely worn out, he continued to stand outside for just a moment.

The breeze that was coming up from the shore blew right through his shirt, almost biting at his skin before stealing his warmth. Night had now fallen across the sky, replacing the pink and yellow hues with an abundance of bright, twinkling stars. Feeling the hairs on his arm stand, he crossed them in hopes of saving some of the heat from escaping his body. As Draco stood there, listening to the waves mix with the sand and snow, he tried to empty his mind, just for a moment and let the peacefulness of the ocean fill his worrying thoughts.

Suddenly hearing Theo's loud voice penetrate through the house walls though, Draco took a deep breath of ocean air before exhaling and headed back inside.

* * *

Hermione continued to stare at Theo and Blaise as they read from the book they were just handed. The other two Gryffindors were now in their own conversation with Luna, but her attention was on something else. Eager to see if the two Slytherins would come to the same conclusion as the Golden Trio had, she waited as patiently as she could.

She had read many books so far in her lifetime, but reading someone's thoughts or emotions sometimes became a whole different matter. However, when she finally saw Theo's eyes begin to slowly grow larger and larger the longer he read, she had a good feeling she knew pieces were beginning to fall into place for him as well.

As suddenly as his eyes shot up from the pages to look at her, Theo softly said "Wait…"

A moment later, he spoke a little louder. "Wait… you aren't thinking that…"

Slightly startled by the volume of his next sentence, Hermione grinned as she watched Theo stand from his seat and say "Holy shit Granger!"

With the whole room suddenly watching Theo, Blaise looked up from the book as well and said "Now that my ear drum is blown, I think I also know what you guys are thinking. Sorry to be the negative one here though, but-"

It was at that moment when the kitchen door opened and Draco came back inside, shutting it quickly behind him in hopes of keeping the heat inside.

"Nott, I could hear your angelic voice from outside. What's got you all riled up?"

Before Blaise could finish his sentence, Theo picked the book out of his hands and was now parading around the room with it.

"This! This has got me all riled up. I'm guessing you have already seen it, and I must say that I think-"

"I think that we all might be jumping to a very big conclusion here."

Blaise had now stood from his chair and was trying to snatch the book back from Theo, only to no avail. As the two Slytherins began to chase each other through the kitchen and into the living room, a trail of profanity followed them out.

Turning to look at the Trio and Luna, Draco said "So it looks like I wasn't alone in thinking what Lovegood said sounded awfully familiar."

Shaking his head, Harry said "No, you weren't. I hate to agree with Blaise here, but he does have a good point. It is a pretty big assumption to think what Helena Ravenclaw was describing is the same place as Valbone Valley."

"Yes, but you have to admit. They do sound awfully familiar don't they?"

Looking towards Luna, Hermione asked "What do you think?"

Taking a moment before answering, Luna said "This man's story does sound a bit similar to what Helena had described to me, but I can't say for certain."

The inside of Hermione's cheek was now raw and her mouth tasted of iron. Feeling her pulse going as fast as her leg was bouncing, she turned as she heard Theo come back from the living room.

With the book no longer in his possession and his hair a little more disheveled than before, he said "Like I was trying to say before, what I just read sounds a lot like Lovegood's story doesn't it?"

Returning from the living room himself and setting the book back on the table, Blaise said "Besides some similarities to the stories, what else makes you think Helena actually hid her diadem here? Also, let's just say for a moment that it is there. It's been hidden for centuries in some random ass tree in the middle of a forest. How do we know the Dark Lord was able to find it and turn it into one of these horcruxes?"

It was Hermione who quickly answered the question. "I actually have been thinking the same thing, and I know it may also sound a little out there, but hear me out."

Turning to Harry, she asked "When you and Professor Dumbledore were seeing the memories in the pensieve about You-Know-Who and the woman he stole the cup and locket from, how did he manage to do it?"

Confused for a moment about why Hermione was asking the question, he finally said "Dumbledore showed me the memory he was able to obtain from her house-elf, showing that You-Know-Who had murdered Hepzibah."

"Yes, that is true, but how did he first gain her trust?"

Thinking for a moment again, Harry said "I guess he flattered her, acted strangely friendly to her and she I guess was comfortable enough to show him what she possessed."

Smiling, Hermione said "Exactly. Earlier, Luna had mentioned that Helena had accidentally let slip to a boy about where she had gone while they were talking about each other's departed mothers. What if that boy was actually You-Know-Who? What if somehow he found out who the Grey Lady really was and he wanted to know if she knew where the diadem was?"

Draco could once again hear Hermione's brain going into overdrive. He knew she could be on to something, but he wasn't sure if her theory would convince the others. Hearing Ron say "I doubt You-Know-Who actually cared for his mother or would talk to Helena about how much he missed her. It may have been just some random student."

Shaking his head, Harry said "You didn't see him like I did Ron. In that memory he was clever and determined to get close to her just so he could kill her and take what he wanted. I mean they ate cake together; he was so overly charming it was almost too unreal to witness. It wouldn't really be so crazy to think he'd do the same to Helena if he did know who she was."

Smirking, Theo muttered "I guess you actually can have your cake and eat it too huh?"

Shooting his friend a cold stare, Draco whispered to Theo "Enough of your jokes."

Turning back to look at Harry, he said "I think Granger may be on to something here, and I must admit that what Lovegood said does sound a lot like Valbone Valley. I honestly think that we really need to consider going there and at least trying to find the diadem. We can try and keep researching, but from what we have gathered, it's not a crazy idea to think that she hid it in the forest there."

Stretching her arms high into the air and then setting them back down on her lap, Luna said "As of right now, we have no other ideas it seems. I vote yes on going to look because honestly, it's our only option at this point, isn't it?"

Everyone was now looking from one person to the next, trying to gauge each other's answer. Hermione knew Luna had a point. Even if she was completely off on who Helena told and no one was right in thinking the two descriptions sounded the same, they had no other leads. It was time to stop hiding and time to take action. She knew every day that Voldemort was still in power was another day more innocent people were murdered.

Draco's gaze had now landed on Hermione, and he already knew which way she was leaning. He knew the time had now come to leave the safety of the cottage and begin to once again stand up and fight for what was right. Giving her a small nod in agreement, he saw a small smile spread across her face as she nodded back to him.

Taking a deep breath before speaking, Harry broke the silence by saying "All in favor of going to search for the diadem, raise your hand."

Simultaneously, everyone's hand raised in the air. Grinning at the unanimous vote, Theo asked "So, when should I start packing?"

* * *

Soon after all seven had agreed to their new destination, Bill and Fleur had returned home. They had also made a comment asking if they should be concerned that all of them were in one room together, but Hermione quickly offered to make them some tea to help warm them up.

As the group began to disperse to not cause more attention to their gathering, Hermione went to grab two new mugs from the cupboard when Draco walked over to stand at her side. Whispering under her breath, she said "We still need to talk to Theo about the possibility of using his family's houses to help get us all the way to Albania."

Nodding, he whispered back "If you want, I can talk to him later about the idea and see what he says."

Looking to see where Theo and Blaise were at, she saw that they had joined in on the conversation between the others. Placing the tea bags in the mugs, she said "That sounds like a good idea. Let's not attract any attention to anyone leaving the group just yet while Bill and Fleur are still down here."

Leaning in and placing a soft kiss on her cheek, Draco turned from the counter and joined in on the conversation as well.

Smiling at the warmth that still lingered on her skin, she brought the steaming cups of tea over to the table and handing one to Fleur and then one to Bill as she too began to listen about what was happening outside of the safety of the cottage's four walls.

* * *

Later that night after Bill and Fleur went to sleep, everyone agreed to discuss the next steps in the morning. It had been a long day for everyone and they all agreed they would think better the next day after a night's rest.

Draco had followed Hermione back up to her room where he told her "I asked Theo and Blaise to meet me downstairs in about an hour. I wanted to make sure Bill and Fleur were really asleep before we start talking about anything."

"What do you think Theo will say to your idea?"

Shrugging his shoulders, Draco said "I honestly have no idea. It's risky, and it may not even be an option if he thinks there's any possibility that his father could be anywhere besides Paris."

Watching as Hermione laid herself down on the bed and stretched, he noticed a shiver travel down her body. Walking over to her desk chair and grabbing her father's sweater, he handed it to her and sat down beside her.

Smiling at his gesture, Hermione sat up and took the oversized sweater from his hands and slipped it over her head. As its soft texture began to trap the warmth around her chilled skin, she looked out her bedroom window to see the snow had now picked up its pace. Watching the pile that was accumulating on her window sill grow by the minute, her mother's words began to replay in her head.

Following her stare outside, he slightly tilted his head and asked "What are you thinking about in that head of yours Granger?"

Turning to meet his gaze, she smiled and simply answered "Snow."

Returning the smile, Draco's fingers began to reach up and suddenly found themselves entangled in her soft curls. Gently pulling her close, he rested his forehead onto hers for a moment before placing a kiss in the same spot.

"Why don't you try and get a little rest unless you think I'll wake you when I leave to go downstairs."

Already warmed from her father's sweater, she could feel her eyelids becoming heavy. Nodding her head, she said "No, you shouldn't wake me. I'll try and get some rest as long as you promise to do the same when you get back from your talk."

Nodding at Hermione to move up the bed a bit so they could both lie down, he said "I promise Granger."

Sitting against the head board, Draco placed one of the pillows on his lap. Once Hermione lied down next to him and rested her head, he threw the comforter over the two of them. Gently, with one hand he began to run his fingers through her hair while the other waved his wand, extinguishing all the lights in the room except for one small candle placed on her desk.

Enjoying the feeling of her hair being played with, Hermione closed her eyes. "Do you really think we are going to find a horcrux in Albania?"

Draco could hear the hope in her voice. In truth, he had no idea what they were going to find, but he did have a sense that traveling to Albania was indeed the right choice.

Continuing to pull his fingers through her hair, he said "I hope so Granger, I really do. Only thing is, we still also have to figure out how we are going to destroy the one we do have, and the rest of them."

The room became silent after his answer. Within ten minutes, Draco could hear Hermione's breathing become slow and deep. Placing his arms around her, he held her close, squeezing her just a little tighter as the night wore on.

….

When he knew it was almost time to meet Theo and Blaise downstairs, he slightly lifted himself up while taking the pillow with him. Holding it in place, he slipped out of bed and laid her head back down. Before walking towards the door, he leaned forward and brushed a few curls to the side. Placing a kiss on the top of her head, he whispered "No matter what happens though Granger, as long as I can help it, nothing will ever hurt you again."

* * *

Draco was the first one to make it downstairs. Waving his wand, he started a small fire in the fireplace and sat himself down in one of the chairs. It was only a few minutes later that Theo and Blaise finally joined him.

About to take a seat next to Draco, Theo said "Wait, I almost forgot that I found something earlier!"

Watching Theo head back into the kitchen, it was too dark to see what he was doing. Hearing him search through the cabinets and the clanging of glasses though, Draco soon realized what he had found.

Setting three glasses down on the coffee table, Theo showed his friends an open bottle of Firewhisky. "You blokes want to join me in a glass?"

Laughing at his friend, Blaise said "How in the world did you find that?"

"I found this first before I found the crackers. Here I thought this was now a dry house."

Shaking his head, Draco said "You don't have to twist my arm, but no getting sloshed like last time. One drink each alright?"

Waving off his friend, Theo was already pouring them each a glass. "Yeah, yeah one glass… one big glass."

Taking the tumbler in his hand, Draco took a sip and enjoyed the sudden warmth spread throughout his body. Taking one more sip, he set the glass back on the table before speaking.

"Now that you two know what's going on, I'm just going to be straight with you Nott. I had an idea, but I'm not sure if it's even feasible."

Enjoying the drink in his hand, Theo's was about to take another swig when intrigue made him say "Oh? And what is your 'not so feasible idea'?"

Taking a deep breath, Draco said "Well, you know we need to get to Albania. When the four of us had talked before about how to get there, we figured we'd have to camp along the way and place a multitude of protective barriers around us as we went. However, with hearing that snatchers are everywhere and that becoming not the safest of options, I had an idea of where we could possible stay as we travel instead."

Raising his eyebrow, Theo said "Uh huuuh…"

"Well, my idea was possibly using your family's abundance of houses all over Europe to help us instead."

With nothing but the sound of wood crackling from the fire, Draco tried to watch for a reaction from Theo. Instead, a reaction came from the other side of him in the form of Blaise almost choking on his drink."

"Draco, have you lost your bloody mind? I can't even begin to list off reasons why that would be a terrible idea. What if his father just so happens to-"

It was Theo who interrupted Blaise as he said "And here I thought Jacalyn was just a nice way to get my father out of the house when in reality, she is actually a solution to many problems."

Confused, Blaise asked "What in the world are you talking about."

"Draco here knows that in about a week, my dear old dad is going to be shacking up with his favorite distraction for two weeks in Paris. Awww, Draco. You really do listen to me when I whine and complain don't you?"

Rolling his eyes, Draco grabbed his drink and slouched back in his chair. "Here's the deal Zabini. Theo's father is going to be in Paris starting here soon for two weeks. That's more than enough time to make our way over there, search around and come back. Especially when there's going to be seven of us looking."

Before Blaise could retort, Theo cut in again saying "I'll do you one better Draco. What if I told you that I could get us as close as Greece without have to hop around place to place?"

Giving his friend a confused look, Draco asked "What do you mean?"

"Well, you know my father has important friends in high place. He likes to pay them a little extra from time to time you see, and while having friends in the Department of Magical Transportation may seem a little silly to some, it has worked out well for my father. That friendship has bought him a 'not so regulated' Floo Network system that connects all of our fireplaces together. Its only use is to connect the houses together, the network can't take you any place else. My father wanted the easy convenience of seeing any of his distractions whenever he wanted and of course wanted a way to not be seen. So, when you have money like he does, he made sure to make nice with a certain Ministry employee to make that happen."

Seeing both his friends still confused, Theo said "Don't you get it? We can use any of the fireplaces in any of the houses to travel to other countries. We can use a house I know he won't be at and it can get us that much closer to Albania!"

As Draco looked over to Blaise and then back to Theo again, all he was able to say was "Seriously?"

Laughing at his friends astonished faces, Theo said "Yes I'm serious. We can go to the house north of Highcliffe, and then from there we can take our pick of the houses closest to Albania."

"Nott, that's fucking amazing. If I didn't think you'd actually like it so much I'd kiss you right now."

Theo chuckled at Draco's comment. "Now, now. You keep talking like that and you'll start to make Blaise jealous."

"Ha-ha." Blaise finished the rest of his drink in one swig and said "I must say though Theo that is good news for once. I think the rest of this little party will be pleased to hear that as well."

Bringing his glass up to his lips, Draco could smell hints of caramel mixed with the earthiness of the burning wood. His eyes had become mesmerized by the orange and red flames climbing up the chimney, and was enjoying the calming silence that was now setting in the room.

Glancing over to his side, he noticed Blaise also seemed to now be lost in thought. Waiting another few moments before asking, Draco finally said "What's on your mind Zabini?"

Still holding his empty glass, he said "I guess I'm just thinking about my mum."

Finally setting his glass back on the coffee table, Blaise said "This is the first time I haven't been home for the holidays with her. I'm sure who ever her new boyfriend or hell even husband by now will keep her company. It's just that I'm really the only person who she seems to enjoy having around during this time. I don't need to explain to you two my mother's past relationships, but it seemed to always comfort her that no matter what she could always count on me. Now I've gone and run off on her like an ungrateful bastard and who knows what she's going through right now."

Draco did know about Blaise's relationship with his mother. He would never say it to his friend, but to him it seemed his mother sometimes placed her own needs in front of her son's. Blaise of course never saw it like that. His mother was never involved with Voldemort or his Death Eaters, but a few of her late husband's had been. The last one she had been with was the reason Blaise became mixed up in becoming a Death Eater in the first place, but he knew Blaise would never admit that. Blaise felt that to make his mother happy was to do what she asked, and what she asked was for him to volunteer himself for 'The Cause' which was only because it would make her then husband happy. Draco knew she loved Blaise and cared about him, but sometimes he felt like Blaise only saw his mother one way and was blind to her selfish ways.

Sighing, Draco said "You're not a bastard, I'm sure she is proud of you for doing the right thing."

"No Draco, that's your mum. Mine is probably hurt and confused as to why her only child ran off. I just couldn't do it anymore though, I couldn't commit to what was being asked of me, you know?"

Hearing the guilt mix in with his words, Theo said "Don't be so hard on yourself mate, you know we did the right thing by running, and I do think your mum knows that as well."

The three continued to sit in silence for almost thirty minutes, listening to the fire before calling it a night. Draco told Theo since he green lit the idea, the whole group could talk about it together in the morning.

Walking up the stairs, Draco stopped in front of Hermione's bedroom door and slowly turned the knob. He was happy to find the witch to still be sound asleep right where he had left her. Gently picking her head up, he slipped back underneath her and rested it back onto his chest.

He was about to shut his eyes when he heard her mumble "You smell nice, like Pine."

Smiling, he tilted her head up towards his and kissed her warm lips.

As her eyes fluttered open, Hermione added "And taste nice too."

Smiling, he said "That's just the whisky and fire; I can't take credit for any of those things."

Slowly, Hermione's tongue licked her bottom lip and tasted the sweet notes of caramel mixed with the comforting aroma of a fire again. Her mind began to think back to their first kiss when she wanted another taste, but wouldn't allow herself to. This time however was different.

Yawning, Draco said "I'm sorry I woke you Granger, hopefully you can get back to bed-"

Suddenly sleep was the last thought on his mind. As if a jolt of electricity had awakened every cell in his body, Draco was now at full attention. Her kisses somehow felt both hard and soft which only made him crave them more. Feeling Hermione begin to crawl on top of him, he decided to quicken the journey by lifting her the rest of the way.

As the candle on the desk gave its last few moments of light, Hermione pulled back just in time to see the look of someone who now also craving more. As he grabbed the back of her neck and tilted it to one side, she felt his mouth begin to devour every inch it could. Letting off a small whimper, she bit down on her lip as she realized neither of them had cast a silencing charm.

Suddenly realizing it as well, instead of reaching for his wand, Draco lifted his mouth to her ear and whisper "This is going to be fun."

* * *

The whole next day was spent discussing what Theo had told Draco and Blaise the night before. Although they knew it was still a little risky using Theo's family houses, the idea of being able to use the Floo Network undetected and bring them closer to their destination seemed to be worth the risk.

"How can you still be sure it's still unregulated? What if-"

Harry cut himself off when he saw Theo shake his head.

"What you don't understand is how much my father values this little secret network he has going. You see, the order of things he loves most in this world is.."

Using his fingers to count on, he put the first finger up and said "His money,"

Second finger, "This network,"

Third, "What this network takes him to,"

Fourth, "And then Jacalyn, being his favorite distraction. I, of course, at least still make top five so I call that a win in my book. Well, I use to be top five. I've probably am number one on his shit list, but hey. At least I'm number one on _a_ list now right?"

Giving him a small smile, Hermione said "I'm sure that order isn't what you think it is."

Laughing, Theo said "No, you're right Granger. For awhile there, Fiona was almost tied with Jacalyn so she's actually probably fifth and now I'm sixth. Great, now I'm only in the top ten."

"That's not what I meant Theo. I'm sure your-"

"I know what you meant Granger, don't worry. My point was though; that there's no way he'd give up that secret. I'm sure it's still unregulated."

It took most of the day for everyone to come to a coconscious, but by the time the sun began to set, everyone agreed that they would use the network to travel. Once that had been established, Theo explained that in eight days, his father would leave for Paris and that should be the time for them to leave.

For the next week, the seven prepared for their journey ahead. They would apparate to the home at Highcliffe and make their way to the Nott home in Greece. From there, they would head towards the same valley as both Helena and the book described. Once they found the lake that sat in the middle of the valley, they would follow the river that lead off of it in search of the hollowed olive tree.

Tonks had checked in the day before they were about to leave. Although she didn't know within twelve hours, all seven would be leaving the safety of the cottage.

"Should I be worried that I once again found all of you in the same room?"

Passing Tonks a plate of food, Hermione said "You just always catch us when it's time to eat I guess."

Tonks couldn't put her finger on what she was feeling, but she knew something was off. The atmosphere almost felt anxious, yet their faces showed no sign of uneasiness. She finished her meal while catching everyone up on news. She told Ron that Ginny was now home for the holidays and that the rest of his family was doing as well as they could be.

Once dinner was over, Tonks stood to leave. She was about to head to the door when she heard Hermione say "Hey, Tonks. Can I talk to you for a minute in the living room?"

"Of course."

As the two witches made their way out of the kitchen, Hermione reached in to her back pocket and handed Tonks an envelope.

"Could you do me a favor and mail this letter for me as well when you have a chance?"

Hermione had given Tonks two other letters before to mail while living at the cottage. She had explained to Tonks the situation with how she had handled her parent's death with their friends and business. She had been making sure to mail Sarah every so often to not raise any suspicion about her parents being gone for so long. Hermione knew that it may be awhile before she could send another letter to her, so she had to make sure to send one off with Tonks tonight.

Taking the letter from Hermione, she said "I will try and get this out as soon as I can."

"Thank you. With the holidays coming up, I know my parents would want to make sure she knew how much she means to them… and me."

Placing the note inside her cloak, Tonks asked "I know you probably can't or won't answer this, but is everything alright? I'm getting a weird vibe tonight. I just can't really figure out what it is."

Hermione knew everyone was a little on edge. Nerves mixed with adrenaline was running through her veins and she was sure it was for others as well.

Trying her best to answer with no sign of hesitance, Hermione said "Yeah, everything is fine."

After Tonks had left, it was agreed that everyone would try and at least get a few hours of sleep before leaving. They wanted to go when it was still dark out and before Bill and Fleur would be up. As Hermione and Draco crawled into his bed, they both knew falling asleep was going to be next to impossible.

Pulling her towards him, Draco wrapped his arms around her waist and asked "You going to be able to get some rest tonight?"

Sighing, Hermione nuzzled into his chest and said "Probably not, you?"

"Probably not. We do have to be up in a few hours though, so I guess we should at least try huh?"

Closing her eyes, she knew he was right. Although ser stomach felt like lead and her heart felt like she had just run ten miles, she took a few deep breaths and tried to clear her mind.

After a few silent moments had passed, Hermione whispered "Draco, are you scared?"

His heart dropped. The truth is he was, more than he'd even let himself admit. Running his fingers through her hair, he whispered back "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't."

Taking his shirt tighter in her hand, Hermione continued to take deep, long breaths. As her heart rate began to lower and her mind began to drift off, before Hermione finally fell asleep she heard Draco whisper "It's alright to be afraid though Granger, because we aren't going to let it stop us from fighting."

* * *

Note: Sorry it has taken me a little longer to post this chapter. I've been going though some personal bs lately and it's been hard to write… but! Writing has been helping me feel better and I'm excited to be posting chapter 30!

Which... for me I can't believe I'm at the '30 chp. mark' on this story. I'm so grateful for all the amazing reviews I've received so far for it and all the new favs/follows every time I post a new chapter :)

Hopefully you all aren't buried under snow like I am right now, but if you are… just do as I am this weekend and use it as an excuse to stay inside, eat whatever you want and procrastinate on adulting :-D

I'm really excited to get into the whole 'Albania' exploration and really get into what all that is going to bring. I foresee dark and twisty things headed for these seven ;-) It will probably be a few weeks again for the next chapter, but I promise to post is as soon as I can.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone! Thank you again for all the amazing reviews on my last chapter.

 _-Toujours._


	31. Chapter 31: Whispers

**Wounded**

Chapter 31: Whispers

Draco's eyes slowly opened. Seeing that there wasn't any sunlight trying to push its way through the tattered curtains, he knew it was still early. He could hear a soft drumming against the window telling him the crisp, white snow had now turned to rain. Bringing his hand up to his face, he rubbed it a few times before glancing down and seeing Hermione's dark amber eyes peering back up at him.

Whispering, he asked "I didn't wake you did I?"

Sighing into Draco's chest, Hermione replied "No, you didn't. I don't think I ever really feel asleep in the first place."

Bringing his arm down and letting his fingers run through her loose curls, he muttered "Same."

Letting the sounds of the rain fill the room, Hermione savored the feeling of Draco's hand gently rubbing her scalp before pulling his fingers slowly through her hair. Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply a few times before finally saying "We should probably get up soon, maybe get ready before everyone else does. I still need to write that letter we are going to leave for Tonks and the others."

Although Draco knew she was right, he didn't want to leave the warmth that had built between them. Wishing he could extend the night just a little longer, he tightened his hold around her waist and placed a kiss on top of her head.

"Yeah, we probably should. Why don't you go start getting ready, and I'll join you in just a second."

Groaning before finally leaving the comfort and security of the bed, Hermione slipped out from under the covers. Letting off a small yelp of alarm as her feet touched the icy cold floor, she grabbed her beaded bag and quickly made her way towards the door.

Once Hermione had left the room, Draco closed his eyes and laid in bed for a few more minutes. A mixture of anticipation and nerves was suddenly growing inside of him. It was building a kind of energy that made him want to run, with one foot heading towards their hunt for horcruxes and the other wanting to just leave with Hermione and disappear. Deep down though, he knew that running from this war wasn't an option, and the only way they would ever find peace was to fight for it.

Reaching across his nightstand to grab his wand, Draco sat himself up on the bed and proceeded to push the covers off. As the chill of the air sent a shiver down his spine, he apprehensively placed his feet on the cold floor and slowly made his way to the bathroom.

…..

The morning sun had barely just begun to rise in the distance, casting the first few pink rays of light through the dark monochrome sky. The kitchen now held six of the seven travelers, with Hermione now joining the group.

Taking the last step into the room, she said "I think I wrote this as best I could."

Setting down the unsealed envelope, she added "Hopefully Tonks and the rest of the Order don't worry too much. I didn't include any details of what we are about to do, but I did explained that leaving and continuing on with our mission is really our only option."

Picking it up and taking out the letter to quickly read for himself, Harry said "I think they knew we were going to leave at some point, just maybe not all seven of us."

Picking his head up from the tale, Theo mutter "Or this early."

Handing his friend a cup of coffee, Draco slightly chuckled and said "Here, drink this you cry baby."

With everyone in the kitchen, it was slowly starting to set in on everyone that the time to leave the safety of the cottage was fast approaching. They had wanted to make sure they left before Bill and Fleur woke, as well as arrive at their first destination before morning's light gave notice of their movements.

As they all picked and nibbled at their breakfast before leaving, Harry said "Let's quickly go over today's plan one more time."

Nodding, Hermione said "Seeing as how Blaise and Theo don't have wands, Draco will be the one apparating us to Theo's home in Highcliffe."

Standing from his chair, Draco looked towards his friend and said "It's going to be a little strange going back. I think the last time I visited you there was a few years ago during holiday and if I recall you and Blaise almost burned down the house."

Smirking, Blaise said "Well, we didn't did we? I must say though, seeing your face after you walked into the room and noticed the curtains were torched was pretty hysterical."

"Those curtains had to go anyways; I always told my father that they didn't match the color scheme and the whole 'cold and unwelcoming' motif he was always going for-"

"Anyways," Harry said while trying to hide a chuckle, "After we make it to your house in Highcliffe, you said you'll know how to get us in?"

"The house is set back in the wood and is pretty well hidden from the town that's about twenty minutes away. I have found over the years a multitude of ways in and out without needing a key so no worries there Potter, I have us covered."

Seeing Theo wink at him didn't make Harry feel any less nervous, but he had no other option but to trust him.

"Once I get us inside, the fireplace connecting all the houses is in my father's study. While I take us there, we can make sure to grab everything that may come in handy as well as the wands."

Seeing as how Blaise, Theo and Luna did not posses wands due to their fact they had been taken back at Malfoy Manor, the topic of acquiring one had come up during their recent planning discussions. Although it wasn't ideal, a solution had come into play.

Ron turned to Theo and asked "Are you sure about taking these wands at your father's house?"

Leaning back in his chair, Theo said "I can tell you again if it makes you feel better. My father, the wonderful business man that he is, didn't get his fortune on his good looks and charming personality alone. Sure, working in the Ministry helps. However, I learned from at young age that shady, back alley deals aren't really the norm in normal households, but if you wanted to make loads of money it was one way of going about it."

Taking his last sip of coffee, he continued to say "Some of these shady deals include selling… let's say 'not so legal' wands to… let's also say to certain 'individuals' that may need to use a wand other that their own personal one. He always keeps stashes of them at each house, along with a few other items, just in case he needs to make a sale."

"And how do we know they are safe and will work again?" Hermione gave Theo a concerned look.

Before he could answer though, Blaise muttered "I don't know about how safe they really are, but as to if they work, how do you think that fire was started?"

Rolling her eyes, Hermione said "Well that brings me zero comfort."

Walking over and placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder, Draco said "Any wand in the hands of these two is a risky business in itself. With our current situation though, I think it's the best we are going to do. We all need to make sure we have a way to at least try and protect ourselves in Albania."

Hermione glanced over to look at Harry and Ron. Knowing that this was their only option for replacing the wands, they all nodded at one another in agreement.

"While we're at the house, we can also raid the pantry; see what we can salvage. I can even pick us up some extra clothes I always keep there."

Hearing Blaise snicker under his breath, Draco turned to his friend and asked "What's so funny?"

"Oh nothing. I'm just imagining Potter and Weasel dressed in silver and green and I found it quite hilarious."

Smiling at the thought himself, Draco spoke a little louder so everyone could hear. "After all of that, we will head to Theo's house in Greece. We'll spend the night there and then head out early the next day to make our way to Valbone Valley."

"Once we reach the lake, we will have to find where it breaks off and then follow the river down. From what we have researched and what Luna has told us about where Helena hid her diadem, hopefully we are able to find it quickly." Fastening the last button on his coat, Harry grabbed his bag and began to head for the front door.

Taking a deep breath, he said "I think it's time we get going though. The sun is just about to rise and I'm sure Bill and Fleur will be up soon."

Hermione glanced around the room, taking in everyone's expression. Before they started making their way outside, it seemed that each of the seven had taken an extra moment to really acknowledge what they were setting out to do. The time to leave had finally arrived, and no one could stop dawn's imminent rise which would mark the start of their seemingly impossible goal.

She watched as one by one, everybody slowly stood from their seat and made their way through the door Harry was now holding open.

Placing his wand in his back pocket, Draco gently squeezed Hermione's shoulder.

"You ready Granger?"

Grabbing her bag and wand off of the kitchen table, she stood and turned to look at Draco.

Smiling as she held out her hand for him to take, Hermione answered "Let's go."

* * *

Hermione stood rooted in the thick brush. Her jeans were soaking up the fresh morning dew as her eyes began wandering the countryside. The sun had barely peaked over the rolling hills, but the small amount of light that was shining revealed miles of brown and green pasture. The land was now their ocean, rising and falling around them like waves. She inhaled slowly, letting the fresh scent of dried grass and pine to fill her nose.

As a gust of wind whipped by, it caused her to remember where they had just apparated to. Turning around to see the view that was still behind her, she realized they had arrived at the edge of a heavily wooded area. It seemed that the others were taking in the view as well due to the fact that no one had said a word until now.

"I brought us just a little ways away from the house. I figured we should make our way there slowly, just to be on the safe side."

Draco was watching Hermione as she continued to take in the view around her. Hearing Theo and Blaise begin reminiscing about their time spent exploring the woods, he walked over to her and said "Beautiful, isn't it?"

Looking around one more time before turning her attention to Draco, she replied "I actually forgot for a second what we were doing here."

Taking her hand, Draco gave her a small grin as he nodded for them to begin walking with the others.

"I think for a moment, we all did."

As Harry, Ron and Luna made their way over to join them, Harry said "We should probably start heading towards the house while we still have a little time before the sun fully rises."

It was Theo who led the way. The cold winter had stripped the trees of their leaves, leaving them to stand starkly against the frozen backdrop. Clusters of twigs and long limbs stretched and reached in all directions, making it a little difficult for them to maneuver through. However, once they had reached the top of the hill, a large stone house finally came into view.

Stopping just short at the edge of the trees, Hermione's eyes took in the mansion that emerged proudly behind its sturdy iron gates. A marble fountain, covered under a layer of freshly fallen snow, stood in the center of the yard. Ivy covered more than half of the outside walls while a cobblestone path wound its way up to the front door. If she didn't know any better, she would have been sure that the house in front of her had just been pulled straight out of a picture book.

Watching Theo wave everyone to stop walking for a moment, Draco heard him say "We will need to go around back. I think that will be the easiest way to get in."

With the crunching sounds of frozen land echoing beneath their feet, they kept their talking to a minimum. Although the house was deserted of inhabitants, they knew they still had to be careful with their sounds that could carry outside.

When they had reached the back of the house, Theo broke from the concealment of the woods. Hermione watched as he slowly approached a low brick alcove that was hidden behind a line of tall shrubs. Seeing him disappear behind them, she waited with bated breath until his return only a few minutes later. When Theo reappeared to wave them over, one by one, the group made their own way out of the forest and into the same recess with Harry being the last to go.

When everyone had managed to slip past the ice coated branches, Hermione found herself standing in a dimly lit narrow passage, spanning about thirty feet. As she peered down the tunnel, she could see that a seemingly stone wall had now been slightly pushed ajar.

Keeping her voice down, she asked "Where does this tunnel lead to?"

Maneuvering around Luna and Ron, Theo said "Knowing who and what my family deals with and in, my father always has a few exit strategies just in case something goes wrong. He has shown me a few over the years, but most of them I have found on my own."

Following the group that was now walking towards the door, Draco began thinking about all of the times he too had found hidden passages throughout the Manor as well as his family's vacation homes. He knew that having an exit strategy in homes such as his, as well as Theo's, was considered customary.

As Theo pushed the doorway open a little more, he said "This takes us up through the cellar and in to the kitchen. Once we are in, I can start gathering everything we need and we can make our way to the study."

Closing the door behind him once everyone had made it through, Draco muttered " _Lumos_ " almost at the same time Hermione had. Although their wands lit the room for the most part, the sheer size of it was still too large for their lights to fully fill it.

Hermione's eyes wandered the walls that were covered in shelves and stocked full of food, spices and liquor. As she turned to look behind her when she heard Draco shut the door, she realized why it wasn't able to open all the way. Four large, wooden barrels had been placed in front of it, trying to hide what was hidden behind them. Figuring the barrels were filled with wine, she continued to survey the large room.

Walking up behind her, Draco said "I know Theo's father isn't here, but we should still try and be quick once we get into the kitchen."

Nodding, she said "I agree."

Turning to Theo, she asked "Did you still want to stock up on food supplies? I can start gathering a few things."

"The house in Greece should still have a decent amount stocked there, but it wouldn't hurt if we picked up food here as well just in case."

Setting her bag on one of the casks, she heard Theo add "If you want to start doing that, I can take the others to the study and have them wait there while I gather the wands and clothes. Draco, you remember where it is, right?"

Nodding, Draco said "I do. I can stay here to help Granger while you do that. The quicker we can leave the better."

As Hermione watched the others walk up the steps and into what she presumed was the kitchen, she began walking around the room to figure out what exactly she wanted to place in her bag.

"Are you looking for anything specific? I may be able to help track some things down. Theo and I use to sneak down here at night all the time when I was visiting. Theo's father has a pretty big sweet tooth and always had the best candies and pastries down here."

Laughing, Hermione said "I'm just trying to take a quick inventory on what's down here. I want to make sure we have enough food for everyone when while we are traveling."

Picking up a few cans of food, she began placing them in her bag.

"Do you think Theo is alright? Being back at his home could bring up some feelings for him."

Grabbing a few items off a shelf and placing them in a pile he had started, Draco said "I'm sure it's a little difficult for him to be back here. With Theo though, he really tries to hide any type of 'feelings' other than his beloved sarcasm. Of course, a lot of that sarcasm is his way of dealing with what's actually going on in his life."

Hermione understood having seen this a few times for herself already. Thinking about her other friends as well, she knew with Christmas being so soon they were all feeling some amount of pain not being at home with their families.

Sensing that Hermione was now deep in thought, Draco asked "Is everything alright Granger?"

Not wanting to bring up the topic of Christmas or family at the moment, Hermione smiled and said "Yes, sorry. I just lost my train of thought for a moment."

Picking up the pace, Hermione changed the subject back on to food and began asking Draco where crackers and potatoes might be. Taking another fifteen minutes or so to gather everything they may need, and then another five minutes to arrange it all in her bag, they were finally done.

Closing up her bag, Hermione said "I think that was the last can."

Taking one last look around them, Draco replied "I think you're right. We should probably start making our way to the study so we can get moving to the next house."

Following behind Draco as he led the way up the stairs, Hermione was expecting the morning light to greet them. However, as she entered into the new space with no windows, she was met once again with darkness. Vintage sconces, black granite countertops and dark cherry wood cabinets filled the room. The light still being emitted from Draco's wand was being reflected off of the stained glass that was inlayed in each of the cabinet doors. Colors of green, black and white had been pieced and swirled together to create a truly beautiful work of art.

Draco was about to push open the swinging door when he realized Hermione had fallen behind. Turning to see her mesmerized by the stained glass, he said "That right there is the reason this house is Theo's favorite to visit."

Turning to look at Draco, Hermione asked "Because of the glass?"

Nodding, he walked back over to stand next to Hermione and held his wand closer to each sheet of glass.

"Theo doesn't talk about his mother very often. Although he was young when she passed, I know the few memories he has of her he holds very fondly. From what I've heard about her, she was nothing like his father is. My mother knew Pricilla from social gatherings and apparently she was always the life of the parties."

Taking a step closer to the glass, he continued to say "One time, when Theo and I were sneaking down to the pantry, he told me that his mother actually made these glass panels herself. I guess when she passed, Theo's father removed all evidence of her. Maybe it was too hard for him to look at, but for Theo it was harder not to have any memories of her around. However, his father did leave these in, probably because only the house-elves come in here and he's completely forgotten about them. I could tell by the way Theo talked about these panels though that they hold a special meaning for him."

Hermione's heart was sinking as she listened to Draco.

 _Not being able to have anything around to remind you of your parent? I can't even imagine what that would be like._

Suddenly hearing the door behind them swing open, Hermione and Draco both jumped as they saw Theo pop his head through the door and say "I was becoming worried that you two were lost somewhere. Everything going alright gathering the supplies?"

"Sorry, we just finished and were making our way to the study."

Draco began walking towards him. "Everything go alright with gathering the wands and clothes?"

As Draco held the door open for Hermione to walk through first, he followed the brunet out and saw Theo holding up a few bags in his hands.

"Two have clothes and the other wands. I figured I would take a couple extra just in case we need them. I can tell my father hasn't been here in awhile though. Everything has been left exactly the same as I had left it and a nice film of dust is on everything. Usually the house-elves would have come here to clean before his arrival, but it's obvious that hasn't been done in some time."

Taking the bags from Theo to place in her own, Hermione had finally been greeted by the sun. They entered the dining room, and it was grand to say the least. The large bay windows were allowing the morning light to stream in and hit the perfectly varnished mahogany table that dominated the room. A stone fireplace lined one of the walls while silver candelabras garnished the room. The walls held portraits and paintings along with one Victorian gilded mirror hanging right above the mantel piece.

Hermione was trying to make sure she saw every piece of detail the room had to offer while following the boys out of the dining room.

"I guess I shouldn't be too surprised at how impressive of a dining room this is, seeing as how beautiful the kitchen was."

Leading the way through the house, Theo smiled at her comment. "Thanks for the compliment Granger. I'd give you a tour of the house, but I think that may be best left for another time. I can however tell you a little bit about the history of these two paintings coming up here."

Now leading the way as Hermione and Theo began a conversation about the amount of fine art his father had collected over the years, Draco began to remember all the times he had visited his friend at this home. The house was eerily quiet, and although it always had an air of coldness to it, something about seeing a thin layer of dust sit on top of frames and tables made it even more so.

 _Or maybe it's just more depressing.._

He had never seen the home so unkempt until now. Theo's father was one for order and cleanliness, to the point that if he saw the house in its current state of filth Draco was sure he'd hex the whole house down to the ground in disgust.

Taking the next corner, the three had now arrived in one of the living areas. Off to the side, Hermione noticed an ornate, wooden banister that led to the second floor. Each spindle was beautifully crafted in a repeating pattern which began to pull not only Hermione's eyes in, but she suddenly found herself walking towards it.

"These carvings are beautiful! Theo your house keeps making it hard for me to actually focus on why we are here."

Laughing, Draco said "Wait until we reach his father's study."

Watching as her eyes grew twice in size, he motioned for her to keep walking up the steps.

"It's just up these stairs and to the right."

As they reached the top of the landing with Hermione being the first to make it, she could already hear the rest of the group's voices coming from the room just up ahead. Pushing open the already cracked door, it was Ron who said "I was starting to worry Nott had forgotten about us here."

Being the last one inside and shutting the door, Theo said "I could never forget about you Weasel. That red hair of yours is burned in my brain forever."

Mouthing 'ha-ha' to him, Theo added "It took us a little longer to gather everything, but at least we have food, clothes and wands."

Lifting her bag up to motion where these items now where, Hermione's eyes were once again over taken by not only the sheer size of the room, but the contents it held. Rows and rows of books filled all four walls, with multiple sitting areas all around and one large desk that sat off to the side.

With everyone now in the room, Blaise said "Well, phase one is almost complete so I guess we can check step one off of the list."

Running her fingers across one book spine at a time, Hermione was quickly trying to read each title when a stone fireplace at the opposite end of the room caught her eye.

Changing course now, she began walking towards it as she said "Is this the fireplace that we will be using then?"

With all seven making their way over to the fireplace, Theo said "It sure is."

Grabbing a small bowl from on top of the mantel, he took the lid off to reveal a glittering powder.

"Now, remember this network is only connect to all the homes my father owns. When you say the destination, make sure to clearly say ' _Lia Estate_ ' and it will take you directly to the house in Greece."

Before Hermione could reply with a question, a different one escaped her mouth the moment Theo tossed a fistful of powered into the fireplace and a roaring purple flame suddenly appeared.

Almost in a surprised voice, she asked "Why in Godric's name is the flame purple?"

With everyone expect the three Slytherin's stepping back, Theo chuckled and said "Sorry, I forgot to mention that seeing as how this network isn't exactly regulation, the flames are not green like normal."

Placing the open pot on the ground, he added "I would actually be nervous if it had turned back to green. It probably would have meant that my father's little secret, was no longer one."

In an almost irritated tone, Harry said "Are you didn't mention this because?"

"Well of course I would have said something if it had turned green instead of purple. I just didn't want to make you worry it wasn't going to work out is all."

Hermione watched Harry give a not so pleasant look as Theo smiled ear to ear. Still a little wary of the unusual color of the flames, she learned over to Draco and asked "Were they purple as well when you would visit him?"

Hearing the uneasiness in her voice, Draco replied "No, but that is only because I used the regulation Floo Network that connects to a different fire place somewhere else in the house. Theo has used this network though countless times and other than his poor taste in Quidditch teams he seems to be alright."

She smiled at Draco's attempt to ease her mind. "I guess we don't really have a choice at this point do we?"

"That's the spirit Granger!" Theo gave Hermione a slight nod in her direction as he said "I will go first and do a quick check of the house, but if it looks anything like this one does I know we are in the clear."

Before Theo could step into the fireplace, Draco said "Don't you want someone to go with you and make sure everything is alright?"

"It's probably best if I go alone. I know the lay out pretty well and it will be easier for just one of us to sneak around. Besides, I have no doubt that my father is in Paris right now. This is just to be precautious."

Taking a few steps towards the fireplace, Theo did turn and say "I will take one of those wands though Granger. You know, just to be on the safe side."

Hermione opened her bag and took out one of the wands Theo had given her. "Just be careful Theo."

Reaching to take the wand from her hand, Theo said "Just knowing that you care Granger is all the protection I need."

Rolling his eyes, Draco heard Ron groan in disgust before saying "Alright, alright move it along Nott."

Smirking towards his friend, Theo stepped into the bright, purple flames. The group listened to him say "See you all in a few…Lia Estate" then disappear. The remaining six all stared at the empty fireplace for a few moments before separating and wandering the room to help pass the time.

Hermione had begun chewing the inside of lip as she nervously waited for Theo's return. The room was silent other than the shuffling of feet across the carpet. Minutes were slowly dragging by. She would read and re-read a title of a book before she finally realized what she was seeing. Taking one off the shelf titled ' _The Hidden Codes of Greek Runes'_ , Hermione began leafing through the pages when the roar of the fireplace made her almost drop it.

Stepping out of the fireplace, Theo said "Very graceful their Granger."

Being the closest to his friend, Draco said "I take it since you have time to make jokes that everything seemed to check out?"

Nodding his head, Theo said "Seems to be. I took a look around and although it does seem a little cleaner than this place, the house is definitely empty. Everyone ready to leave?"

Draco looked around the room as everyone's face slowly showed the same emotion. He knew as everyone nodded yes, their expression held hesitation. This time, it was Hermione who placed her hand out in front of him and asked "Are you ready?"

Giving Hermione a smile, he took her hand in his and followed her towards the purple flames that would continue them on their journey.

* * *

As Hermione stepped out of the fireplace, an almost citrus like scent hit her nose. The room was lit by the only curtain that had been pulled back to allow light in. Moving further into the room to let the next person behind her come through, she made her way over to the window. Hearing the Floo Network continue to sound off behind her two more times, Hermione knew only Theo was left to arrive.

When everyone had finally made it through, Theo brushed off his pants as he said "Sorry it's a little chilly in here. It can get pretty cold up in the mountains."

It was Luna who asked "Mountains?"

"Yeah, this house sits pretty far up in the Mourgana Mountains. It's nice that it's very secluded, but it comes with a price of needing to be heated well during the winters."

Making it to the window, Hermione finally understood what Theo meant by secluded. As she looked out, the only thing she could see for miles were rocky outcrops that were all lined with trees. The land was almost too pristine, covered in snow and ice. Without thinking, she pushed open the window and a sudden rush of cool, mountain air hit her face.

Turning from the window, Hermione asked "Theo, you said these are the Mourgana Mountains?"

"I did indeed. Just on the other side of them is actually Albania."

As Draco and the rest of the group came to stand beside her to take a look at the view for themselves, Hermione leaned against him as she continued to gaze outside. Feeling her take a deep breath and hold it for a few seconds before letting it out, he knew that a small sense of relief began to fill not only her, but everyone else in the room.

Turning to Blaise, Draco muttered "Now we can cross off step one."

* * *

The rest of the morning and most of the afternoon the group spent in the one of the home's parlors that connected to the library. They had planned to stay for one night before apparating to Valbone Valley. Hermione had taken out all the books and notes that had anything to do with their destination so everyone could make sure to have a clear picture in their head of where they were going. At one point, while the group was going over their plan for the hundredth time again, she had found two more books that had different pictures and descriptions on the lake and valley in Theo's father's library.

Once night began to fall and the winds had decided to pick up outside, they forwent using Hermione's small fires to stay warm and lit a fire in the room's fireplace. Everyone agreed that it would be best to all stay in one room throughout the night just in case something happened and they needed to quickly escape.

Everyone had started to settle in for the night, and Draco and Hermione were sharing one of the love seats that sat in the middle of the room. Picking up her mug, she took a sip and quickly placed it back down.

"Still too hot?"

Placing her fingers on her lips, Hermione said "Another few minutes and I'll try again. Hopefully I won't burn my mouth a third time."

Watching the steam rise from her cup, she looked around at everyone else's full mugs of tea. Having wanted to test out her new wand before she really needed it, Luna had decided to try it out on making tea for everyone. While managing to create boiling water no problem, the wand's effects seemed to be a little more intense than what she was use to which caused everyone to burn their mouth when trying to take their first sips.

 _It looks like some have even fallen asleep before they were able to enjoy it._

Draco was skimming over one of the books Hermione had found earlier when something out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. Turning to see what it was, he saw Harry laying in one of the ottomans and hovering just above him was a golden snitch.

Confused, Draco asked Hermione "Where did Potter get that?"

Turning to look over her shoulder, she whispered "Oh, I thought I had told you. I guess it was back when I didn't have all my memories and we weren't really talking. I had given Harry and Ron their packages that Professor McGonagall gave me back in her office that day remember? In Harry's, there was that snitch with a note telling him that it was the very first one he ever caught. Ron tells me almost every night Harry just stares at it before he finally falls asleep. The three of us all thought something would happen when Harry touched it, but nothing did. I think he is just trying to figure out why Professor Dumbledore left it for him."

Continuing to watch Harry stare at the little golden orb flying just above him, Draco smiled and said "I still think you almost swallowing it Potter should have been ruled ridiculous and unnecessary."

As Harry sighed, he reached out and caught the snitch while saying "Still sore about Slytherin losing are we Malfoy-"

Noticing Harry's abrupt halt, Draco waited a second before asking "You alright there Potter?"

Hermione had now shifted her whole body to look towards Harry herself.

Not wanting to wake up those who had already fallen asleep, she quietly said "Harry, what's wrong?"

As she watched her friend slowly bring the golden snitch closer to his face and lightly place his lips on it, she was becoming increasingly concerned when it suddenly hit her as well.

In an almost whisper too soft to hear, Hermione said "You didn't catch it with your hands, you almost swallowed it – Draco you're a genius!"

Still confused himself, he was about to asked what the hell they were talking about when Harry quickly stood from his seat and shoved the snitch in front of his and Hermione's face.

"Ugh, that's been in your mouth. Why are you putting it-"

"Would you just look at it Malfoy."

Seeing as Harry wasn't about to move it away anytime soon, he peered down and realized there were words inscribed in the gold which were now suddenly disappearing.

Unable to read it before it had vanished, he heard Hermione whisper "I open at the close."

"I open at the close? What does that mean?"

Draco was looking from Hermione back to Harry waiting for an answer. With only silence as an answer, he realized that he wasn't the only one who didn't understand what it meant.

"Harry, what do you think-"

"I have no idea."

Turning to look at Ron and the others, Hermione saw that they were the only three now still awake.

"We can tell Ron in the morning. The three of us should try and get some sleep too seeing as we have another early morning ahead of us."

Watching Harry nod, Hermione knew full well that sleep was the last thing on her friend's mind.

Draco picked up his wand from the side table and extinguished all of the candles so only the low burning coals were left to illuminate the room. Pulling the blanket further up for them to share, he said "Here, get comfortable and I'll lay it across you better."

Feeling Draco slide a little further down, she placed herself between his legs and rested her head on his chest. As she helped him situate the blanket, Hermione began to feel herself rise and fall with each breath he took.

Hermione tilted her head upwards as she said "We made it through the first day, now it's on to the second."

As he wrapped his arms around her waist, the distant chiming of the clock told him that it was now midnight.

"We'll make it through this. One day at a time."

Placing a soft kiss on top of her head, he waited for the last chime of the clock before he leaned in and whispered "Merry Christmas Granger."

A small smile spread across her face as his warm words glided across her skin.

"Merry Christmas Draco."

* * *

It was Hermione that awoke first that morning. Still tucked tightly under Draco's arms and the warm fleece blanket, she listened to the hushed sounds of her friends sleeping. The mountain winds collided with the house with each new wave bringing a harsher blow than before. Although Draco's rhythmic rise and falls of his chest were helping to soothe her own breathing, it still wasn't enough to slow down her worried mind.

The smoldering embers had burned out awhile ago, but the smell of Fir still lingered in the air. Taking a deep breath, Hermione slowly began to exhale when she heard a voice whisper through the darkness.

"You awake Granger?"

Holding in a gasp, Hermione whispered "You almost just gave me a heart attack Blaise."

Listening to a quiet laugh, she waited for him to respond.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I was only wondering if I was the only one who couldn't sleep."

Not wanting to wake anyone else, she kept her voice low.

"No, you're not. I was able to doze off for a few hours, but I've been up for a little while now."

As silence between the two grew, Hermione was sudden struck with the feeling that that there was something Blaise wasn't saying.

"Is something on your mind?"

The silence lingered a moment longer before he answered.

Quietly sighing, he ironically said "Oh, you know just the usually crushing feelings of guilt and regret."

Propping herself up a little straighter, Hermione peered into the darkness to try and better visualize him. She wasn't sure if she could actually see the expression on his face, or if it was just the tone of his voice, but Hermione was sure that Blaise was trying to play off sadness as sarcasm.

 _And almost painfully so._

Pausing a moment before asking, Hermione said "Do you want to talk about, anything?

With a small laugh, Blaise said "I think the content of my mind is one book you don't want to read Granger, but thank you for asking."

Hearing a slight hesitation in his voice, she said "Oh, I wouldn't be too sure of that. I have a great love for all sorts of books, and I've never been a person to at least not try one once."

Waiting to see what Blaise would say next, she listened to the new wave of winds crash into the house before he finally responded.

"If you would have told me a year ago, that I'd be on the run with not one, not two, but three Gryffindors, a Ravenclaw and my two best friends I would have called you bat shit crazy."

Smiling, Hermione said "I could say the same, only with three Slytherins."

Taking a deep breath, he continued to say "My whole life, I had been the same man. A man who thought he knew right from wrong, and a man who never questioned what he was told as truth. Quite recently however, I have found that ignorance is not bliss, and when I finally looked around and thought for myself, well… let's just say it was a rude awakening."

Hermione sat, quietly and attentively as Blaise continued to say "Once I had begun to realize all of this though, there was no possibility of changing what had already been done. Nott and I were lucky that we even had a chance to try and escape when we did, but I can't help think about at what cost did my suddenly new perspective of life come at?"

Hermione could hear the tone in his voice change, along with his breathing pattern. Wanting to try and steady him before his anxiety climbed even higher, she calmly said "I know you're worried about your mum, and how your actions have impacted her. I also know that making huge life altering decisions can be truly terrifying…"

Taking a second to steady her voice, she continued to say "But I think what can be even scarier than that is regret. Regret of never taking that first step that lead you away from darkness that night, regret of not trying to make this world a place you know it rightfully should be. That night you ran I think you had two options. To take a step forward into the unknown and fight for what you knew was right, or to step to the side, and let what you knew to be wrong continue to rule. Change can be difficult in the beginning… and a lot of times chaotic in the middle…. But I believe in the end it's completely worth it."

Feeling Draco's arm slowly begin to tighten around her waist, she added "I whole heartedly believe you made the right choice that night Blaise, and I know I don't know your mother, but I really do believe she'd say the same."

Waiting for him to speak, she wondered just how much of their conversation Draco had heard. When Blaise began to chuckle, she was about to question his behavior when she heard him say "Damn Granger, you really can give a nice speech."

Smiling, she heard Draco whisper "Agreed."

….

Although the sun was nowhere near ready to rise, they had decided to get up early and be prepared for when it did. Not soon after Draco had awoken that the others began to stir as well. One by one, they quickly washed up and headed down to the kitchen to eat before heading out. They wanted as much of the day they could get while finding the river and then proceeding to follow it. Knowing what night possibly held in those woods, they had decided they would apparate back to the lake before sunset and begin where they had left off the following day if needed.

When dawn was nearly approaching, all seven made sure they were bundled and prepared for winter's bite. Theo had found extra coats and boots in one of the storage closets for those who needed them.

"We'll apparate in pairs, depending on who has their own wands and those who don't. I think that will be the safest option."

Harry looked around the room as everyone nodded in agreement.

"From all the information we have gathered, the lake we will be going to sits right in the middle of the valley and flows into the main river that runs east. If it's anything like the other horcruxes, getting to it won't be easy, but at least we will know when we are on the right track."

Hermione began thinking about everything Harry and Professor Dumbledore had gone through to retrieve what they had believed to be the real locket, as well as what Harry and Ron had went through retrieving the real one.

 _And what Draco had to endure to make it to the cup. I just hope that whatever we run into trying to locate this horcrux is worth the risk…_

Suddenly hearing her name, Hermione snapped back out of her own thoughts in time for her to hear Harry say ".. will go with Nott."

As she watched Theo place his hand out in front of her and playfully said "Apparition buddy", she smiled while rolling her eyes. Letting him grip her arm tightly, they waited until the rest of the pairs were together with Harry apparating alone.

Looking around at her friends, she said "Remember, once we are there we are going to want to keep as quiet as possible. We have no idea what, or who, could be around us."

As they all acknowledged her advice, it was Draco that said "Everyone ready?"

Turning to look at Theo, Hermione raised her eyebrows in question as he replied "On your mark, get set.."

* * *

If Hermione hadn't been awake before, the swift change in temperature made sure she was now. Feeling Theo release his hold on her, she quickly looked around to gather her bearings. When she didn't see anyone else at first, her heart rate started to quicken, but moments later she heard Theo say "I think I see some of the others over this way."

The two began making their way through the brush and trees. They had apparated along the hillside of the valley, with the lake somewhere below them. The fog that had made its home in between the ridges was as thick as ice and just as chilling. The air was of course cold, but each breath came with a dampness that occurs just after a rain.

Following behind Theo, she kept her wand out in front of her. Hearing her friend's whispered voices in front of her, her pulse began to drop back down to normal.

It was Ron's voice she heard first.

"This damn mist isn't going to help us find the river that's for sure."

Watching as Luna reached out and take Ron's hand, she said "That is true, but it might help us stay a little more hidden."

Before Hermione could ask Ron or Luna if they had seen any of the others, a snap of a branch coming from her left answered her question for her.

Picking off the last bramble that clung to his jacket, Draco was relieved to have found the others. Making his way over to Hermione, he asked "You alright Granger?"

Nodding, she said "I am, and you?"

As he gave her hand a tight squeeze, he replied "I'm fine, but this fog really puts a damper on our plans doesn't it?"

The seven were now together, standing in a few feet of powdered snow and trying to figure out their next move.

"I think our best bet is to start heading down this ridge and getting at least into the valley. Once we are there we should be able to see the lake. The sun is still coming up as well which hopefully will help cut through some of this fog."

Harry was looked around to get a consensus from everyone. Once they all agreed, he began to lead the way down the hill in a single file.

Although Draco was the one behind her, she was able to hear Theo behind him mutter "Isn't it just a little creepy how eerie this fog is? I mean what shitty luck."

Hermione knew he was trying to make a joke, but she couldn't help but find it a little unpleasant how the mist seemed to cling to every surface and almost fade everything in its path away.

As they continued their journey down the ridge, Hermione helped settle her nerves by listening to the birds begin their morning symphony. She began to count all the different melodies she was hearing, but after she reached ten she decided to just simply enjoy their sounds.

Once they had almost reached the bottom, the sun was still low in the horizon. Visibility was still less than ideal, but the new morning light did help cut through the fog. Stopping just at the edge of the forest, they continued to stay hidden within the tightly knit trees.

Even with the fog it was easy to see. Just up ahead of them was the lake they had all heard and read about for the past few weeks now. Draco stared out across it, only able to see as far as the haze would allow him. Its surface was as flat as glass and just as clear.

Hearing the last person stop to look at what they had finally reached, he listened as Hermione mutter "I know they said this place was beautiful, but this.. words just don't do it justice."

Amazed at how the lake mirrored the pink and blue sky above, she heard Draco say "It looks like the trees almost completely circle to lake. We can stay hidden in the trees while following the shoreline."

"That's a good plan. Let me check which way we should start walking."

Holding out her hand and placing her wand flat on top, she whispered " _Point me_."

Her wand began to spin clockwise until it was pointing straight behind her.

Pointing to her left, she said "Well if that's north, we should start heading this way. We know the Valbona river runs east off of the lake so if we head this way, we should be able to locate it."

Pulling her coat a little tighter, she heard Theo say "Well that's a nifty trick Granger."

Smiling, she said "It has definitely come in handy, on many occasions."

Going back into a single file line, they began following the lake around, making sure to keep their voices low and their ears sharp. However, as the next few hours passed, the only sounds that were heard were the crunching of snow beneath their feet and the intermittent chip of birds whose sounds seemed to echo for miles.

Now late in the morning, they had just rounded a corner when Hermione heard it. Stopping in her tracks, she was nearly run over by Draco who had been walking close behind.

"Whoa there Granger, what's the matter-"

"Do you hear it?"

Furrowing his brow in confusion, Draco slightly bowed his head and began to listen. When he too heard it, a smile began to spread across his face.

Lifting his head back up, he looked into her excited amber eyes and said "Water."

The sounds of rushing water were soft, but they were there. Picking up their pace, the seven followed the increasing sounds of the river they knew was now close. It wasn't long after that they had finally found what they had been searching for.

"Oh thank Merlin, I was starting to worry we were never going to find this damn river."

Finally breaking free from the safety of the trees, Theo made his way over to the start of the river bed and took a seat on one of the large rocks.

Following Theo, Hermione walked up to the edge of the water and watched as it twisted and flowed over rocks and stones to free itself and begin its journey out to the sea. Crouching down, the water moved swiftly around her fingers as she slowly dipped them in.

As she pulled her hand back out and watched the droplets fall one by one, she sighed in relief and smiled.

"Blaise, go ahead and cross this step off the list."

* * *

After a quick rest, it was now early in the afternoon. The fog had finally almost lifted and the sky remained a vibrant shade of turquoise.

"We should start heading out. Seeing as how the west side of the bank is lined by a pretty steep cliff, we can all stay on this side until it's able to be traveled on by foot."

They had decided that to cover more ground, they would split into two groups and each take a side of the bank. Knowing that they were in search of a certain olive tree just off shore, they were going to be able to cover twice the area by doing this.

Reaching out his hand, Draco helped Hermione up off a rock she had been resting on.

Thanking him, Hermione picked up her bag and said "We should still keep to the trees though as we walk."

Agreeing with his friend, Harry said "Remember we should keep talking to a minimum as well. We still aren't sure what we are going to find out here."

Back now in a single file line, they began their search allowing the water's current to be their guide. Although the terrain started out level, the further they followed, the rougher it was becoming. The forest had now become denser, and although that helped keep the snow minimal on the ground, the land was sloped and narrowed.

As Hermione carefully climbed over a large tree that had at one point been proudly standing, she looked out into the water. She almost couldn't believe just how crystal clear some areas could be. So much so, that at times it was almost impossible to tell just how deep it really was.

Thinking she heard someone speak behind her, she turned to look at Draco who had now just climbed over the tree himself.

"I'm sorry, did you say something to me? I missed it."

Catching up to her, Draco shook his head.

"Nope, not me Granger. I'm just trying to keep an eye on a certain person who thinks it's funny to throw snowballs at me while my back is turned."

Watching as Draco shot an annoyed glare at Theo, she looked back in front of her to make sure Harry, Ron and Luna were still waiting for everyone to catch up to them.

Placing his hand on her back, Draco said "Maybe you heard one of them say something."

Shrugging it off, she said "It may have just been my ears popping. This altitude change is really getting to them."

As the afternoon wore on, it was Theo who said "You know, for as long as we have been walking, the sun still seems pretty high. I would have thought it would have at least started to set a little by now."

Stopping to take a look herself, Hermione was also now finding it a little odd. Listening to everyone discuss their thoughts on the matter, she suddenly whipped her heard around to look behind her.

Noticing her odd movement, Draco furrowed his brow as he leaned in to ask "What's the matter?"

Trying to look in between the thick layers of pine and firs, she hesitated for a moment before whispering "Were you behind me, just a second ago?"

Even more concerned now, Draco said "No, I've been next to you the whole time. Granger, what's-"

"Nothing, it's nothing. I just thought I had heard you say something to me is all."

She could tell he wasn't very convinced of her answer, but she was glad he didn't press her behavior any further. Still looking as deep as she could though the dense forest, Hermione realized the hair on the back of her neck was standing at attention. Trying hard now to block out the conversation that was still being had, she focused on listening for any other sound. However, after a few moments had passed, she realized something.

 _There's no sound at all. No more birds singing, no more animals running away from hearing us coming. I can't even hear the wind anymore…._

Draco hadn't taken his eyes off of Hermione. Every second that passed, he watched as her face became more and more concerned.

Not wanting to startle her, he gently placed a hand on her shoulder. Before he could ask again what was troubling her, he heard Hermione say "Don't you find it odd that there are no more birds chirping, or that not even one tree around here is swaying to some sort of breeze?"

Listening for himself, Draco tried to make out some sort of noise other than the talking from his friends and the steady flow of the river. No matter how hard he tried though, he wasn't able to pick up anything.

Turning back to the group, he said "This may be a weird question, but do any of you hear anything besides the sounds of water?"

With the whole group now trying to listen, after a minute had passed, Harry said "I thought I heard something a few minutes ago, but that may have just been nothing."

"This whole time, I've been able to hear birds or something, but now-"

Hermione cut herself off. Looking at all six concerned faces now staring at her, she said "Tell me you heard that this time."

When no one answered and she was met with only more confused looks, she added "I just heard… something. It's soft, but this isn't the first time. It's almost like.."

As Hermione turned her attention back on to the woods behind her, her ears began to strain for what she had been hearing. With her eyes quickly wandering through the thick brush and densely packed trees, she still saw no movement. The silence that had now built around them was almost unnatural. It was seeping into her pores, slowly paralyzing her with a fear that something was not right, but she didn't know exactly what that something was.

Draco knew Hermione was now on alert and that they should be as well. Although he hadn't heard what she was trying to describe, he knew if she had cause for concern they should as well.

Shifting only his eyes to look at Harry now, he kept his voice down as he said "It has to be pretty late in the day, maybe it's time we should go back to the lake and start setting up for the night-"

The sound had been quick, to the point that if you weren't listening for it you probably would have missed it, but loud enough that it caused his skin to crawl. Draco could feel his heart begin pounding against his chest as if preparing for something he knew nothing about. Bringing his focus back to those around him, he could tell he wasn't the only one who had heard it.

Gripping her wand a little tighter, Hermione was trying to figure out what the sounds were. They were faint, each having an almost different tone to them. She couldn't quite figure out where they were coming from, with the last one almost seeming like it had come from somewhere above them.

Suddenly, it hit her. She had thought it almost a metaphor at first when she had read it in the books, but clearly that was a mistake.

Taking a few steps back so her friends could hear her better, she kept her voice low as she turned to them and said "Those aren't just sounds… they're whispers."

* * *

Note: Oh man, I'm seriously excited for these up coming chapters! I have been looking forward to writing them for awhile :)

Well, mid terms are finally over and spring break has been treating me well so far. Only, I do wish it felt more 'spring time-y' and warm. My yard is sadly still covered with snow and ice and although my dogs like making snow angels, I am ready for winter to be over.

Thank you for all the new favs/follows and great reviews! I had to do a bit of moving time along and getting them to where they needed to be, so hopefully it all flowed pretty well.

Have a great weekend everyone! TGIF

 _-Toujours._


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